A Coward 'Till The End
by DeannaEmrys
Summary: Alwaysagirl!Stiles and Derek. Fiction inspired by the song Lies - Marina and the Diamonds.
1. Chapter 1

WARNING: Always a girl!Stiles. Lyrics - Lies, Marina and the Diamonds

'You're never gonna love so what's the use What's the point in Playing a game you're gonna lose What's the point in saying You love me like a friend?  
What's the point in saying it's never gonna end'

Stiles was all curled up in bed, X-men playing low on the tv, a half melted carton of icecream sat on her bedside table, a box of tissues strewn across her bed sheets, her ipod, now sporting a cracked screen, was somewhere on the floor by her dresser after she'd hurled it at the wall because every song reminded her of him.

Fucking tall, dark, broody werewolf.

She screwed her eyes shut upon hearing footsteps getting closer to her door. Shit, was it already morning? Ughh if her dad was home it was almost time for school, no way could she deal with that hell hole today, she hadnt slept at all and she knew her Adderell bottle was completely empty after the exams she'd had all week.

"Sweetie?"

Stiles lifted her head slightly to see her dad haloed in light from her open door, "Hey, dad, how was work?"

The sheriff shrugged, running a hand down his tired face, "Long, boring, y'know the usual." He paused taking in the sight of his daughter, dark circles under her eyes, her short brown hair knotted and sticking up in every direction, she looked wrecked, almost as bad as she had all those months ago. He shivered at the thought. "Hey erm, as its Friday why dont you skip school today, you need to get a new perscription anyway and you dont have any exams today, you look like you could use a day off."

Stiles grinned at her dad suddenly greatful that she at least had him, "Ooh Sheriff Stilinski breaking the law," she goaded recieving an identicle grin in return.

"Yeah yeah, I'll arrest my self later, right now though im gonna collapse in my lovely comfortable bed and sleep until i have to go back to work at six tonight."

Stiles nodded curling back into her sheets, " Ill go shopping after i get my pills, make you something other then that vending machine crap i know youve been eating."

The sheriff chuckled before mumbling, "I sometimes wonder which one of us is the grownup."

He closed her door with a tiny click making his way to his bedroom across the hall, Stiles stayed completely still until she heard the tell tale snores that told her, her dad was out for the count. Great, he knew something was up now, ugh how was this her life? Last year she'd been nerdy-tom-boy-virgin-Stiles, that weird girl who's only friend was Scott Mccall, the only girl on the boys lacrosse team, the sheriff's daughter who never dressed or acted like a girl and was probably a lesbian.

Now she was Stiles, the girl that almost died from an animal attack and now hangs around with the popular kids and werewolves and happens to be caught up in some kindof wierd sex dance with the alpha of the pack who cant decide whether he loves her or wants to throw her off of a cliff. How the hell did she get here? Oh yeah that was right, Lydia!

xXx 8 months previous xXx

"I am not wearing that!" Stiles exclaimed at the tiny piece of fabric Lydia was insisting was a dress but looked more like a hankerchief and ohmygodarethosesequins? "No way in hell!"

Lydia glared, something Derek had obviously been teaching her as it was pretty effective before slamming the hankerchief back onto the rail.

"Jesus christ Stiles its not like dressing like a girl will actually kill you! We've been dress shopping for the spring formal for three hours and you havent liked one dress, NOT ONE DRESS!"

Damn, Lydia was freaking terrifying, Stiles didnt know her well enough before the bite to know if it was a Lydia thing or a werewolf thing but she doesnt really wanna risk asking.

"I'm sorry, im just not good at this stuff." she whined bringing her puppy dog eyes out to play because if nothing else Stiles was cute as fuck when she widened her caramel eyes. (A trick her mother had taught her.)

Lydia's glare faultered and cracked before she let out an adorable giggle, "Come on Stiles theres a vintage shop next door that might have something, i'm getting you laid if it kills me!"

Stiles fushed bright red as half the shop span around at Lydias slightly louder than necessary comment before being dragged from the shop.

Five minutes later Stiles was shoved into a dressing room with six dresses and a promise that Lydia would buy her curly fries if she tried at least four of them on and damn her because she knew Stiles's weakness and was flaunting it unfairly.

Stiles took a deep breath and studied the dresses before her instantly dismissing the two pink ones. She decided, in a moment of girly clarity, that the silver dress was too pale for her skin tone and black was way too remisant of her mothers funeral for her liking. There was no way in hell she was wearing gold, ever!

So that left one dress. One bright red dress. One bright red, floor length, fucking ball gown with a slit to her mid thigh that made her look like a freaking cat walk model.

"Oh my god Stiles, Im actually so jealous right now i sort of want to sabotarge you." Lydia exclaimed as Stiles exited the changing room and did a little twirl for the red haired girl, blushing slightly as she did so.

"I feel... pretty." She annouced feeling foolish and idiotic for getting all girly over a dress and how the heels shed crammed her feet in made her feel elegant and sexy for the first time in her life.

"Pretty? Honey you look drop dead gorgeous and if i was a guy i would totally be tapping that, im also rethinking my dress because if you look that good next to me i need to step up my game." Lydia annouced before giggling, Stiles blushed the same shade as her dress but grinned at her new friend anyway.

Realistically she knew the only reason they were hanging out was because they were the only two girls in a pack of male werewolves but, it felt nice to have a girl friend for a change and it felt like they were closer to being actual freinds and not just class mates brought together by fairy tail shit gone rogue, it was good being able to act like a girl for a change.

Lydia flashed her a devious grin, which made Stiles as nervous as Scott without Alison on a full moon, and whipped out her credit card from her purse waving it around like a golden ticket to Willy Wonkas chocolate factory, "Mom and dad are arguing like crazy and trying to win me over at the moment which means i have a crap load of guilt money to blow and as my life sized barbie doll that means were going to the salon!"

"God help my soul."

Lydia just smiled curling their arms together and dragging an unwilling Stiles across town.

xXx

In the last few hours Stiles had been groomed and plucked and waxed and blowdried and tamed and painted and made up and massaged until she felt wrecked and boneless and totally violated but, it had payed off because she looked HOT!

As in Lydia hot!

She looked Alison hot!

She looked hot enough to stand next to Derek and not feel inferior hot!

"Oh sweet heaven above I have a daughter!" The sheriff managed to choke out after almost coughing on his beer as Lydia lead his teenage tom-boy daughter turned beauty queen down their stair case.

"I know right, Im a genious!" Lydia sung taking Stiles's hand and spinning her so the Sheriff could get the full vision, Stiles' face was red hot but under her ivory concealer her blush was unnoticable. Part of her sortof wished she could crawl back into her baggy jeans and checkered shirts but she decided that as she was probably gonna die alone without getting married she should enjoy her one chance at wearing a fancy ass dress.

There were tears in her dad's eye as he took a shed load of photos of the two girls and just as they were about to leave he tugged his daughter into a bear hug, "Your mom would be so proud of you baby," he murmered into her hair before pushing her away gently, "You girls be good, dont do anything i'll be arresting you for later."

xXx

The Spring formal was exactly like Stiles expected it to be, there were over the top decorations, spiked punch and a mixture of cheesy pop and mainstream dance music blasting through the sound system.

One thing she hadnt expected was all the looks and stares from everyone she passed and the way boys kept asking her to dance, she even kept over hearing people whispering about her saying; "Who the hells that?" And, "No way is that Stilinski?" and her own personal favourite, "Shit Stiles is hot! I always thought she was a dyke!"

Scotts eyes had bugged out of his head at the sight of his best friend and he'd spluttered nonscene for about five minutes before he had to run because he wasnt supposed to be there and the coach had noticed him, always the amazing best friend was Scott.

Jackson's had been the funniest reaction for he hadnt recognized her and had spent ten minutes trying to chat her up until Lydia punched him and pointed out who she was. Needless to say he looked sick and embarressed as hell, it was over an hour ago and she hadnt seen him since.

xXx

Stile's phone had been ringing non stop for the past ten minutes, the flashing screen showing Derek's name, she would pick it up but it was too loud inside and trying to get out of the party to answer it was proving hard when everyone kept stopping her to compliment her dress or ask for her number or trying to cop a feel, freaking boys and their teenage hormones.

"What Derek! Jesus give me a chance to answer the phone! It cant be THAT pressing?" She pretty much shouted down the phone as she stumbled out into the night air, a dark chuckle made the hairs on the back of her arms stand on end.

"Im assuming this is Stiles?"

"Who, who is this?" her blood felt like ice in her veins somehow knowing who it was without asking, wishing it was anyone else.

"This is Peter Hale, please come to the Lacrosse field as soon as possible..."

"No! Stiles dont!" Derek sounded like he was gargeling on something, the image of him puking up black goo sprang to her mind and suddenly her knees were weak, it sounded like he was choking on his own...

"Now, now Derek, Stiles can make her own decisions. Five minutes or your friends are dead."

The line cut off but Stiles was already running, her heels kicked off on the stone steps of the school as she sprinted as fast as she could to the lacrosse pitch, her newly manicured feet squeltching into the mud and grass, her dress clutched in one hand so she didnt trip.

It felt like she was in some twisted version of Little Red Cinderella; suddenly the clock had struck midnight and now everyone was gonna die. Oh god, no, stop panicing, this is no time for a panic attack.

She screeched to a halt at the middle of the field, skidding onto her knees next to Dereks limp form, there was so much blood she couldnt tell where he was bleeding from, his hazle eyes fluttered open before widening in shock, "Ugh no, Stiles its a trap why are you here!,"

"Of course its a trap," she spat in reply, slightly hysterical as she tried to help him to his feet, " Im in a fucking fairy tail nightmare that i cant wake up from," She muttered under her breath as Derek shakily got to his feet before collapsing back to the ground.

"Run, he'll be back soon just..,"

"Ahh Stiles, so nice of you to join us," Peter greeted before letting out a low whistle of appreciation, "I see what my nephew see's in you, youre one hell of a looker."

The growl that escaped Derek would have normally scared the shit out of her, but next to Peter he looked like a kicked puppy.

"Yeah and you look like one hell of a phycotic pedophile."

Peter chuckled, "Oh, shes a fiesty one, its such a shame i have to kill her, although," he paused for dramatic effect shooting Derek a mocking smile, "I could always give her the bite, oh yes, she'd make one hell of an alpha female."

Derek, in a fit of rage, struggled to his feet and ludged at his uncle, only to get his side ripped out before being flung across the pitch.

Stiles felt physically sick.

"Ahhh, right on time," Peter sighed, holding his hand out to Stiles like a gentleman from an old black and white film asking to have 'this dance'. "Scott, i see you got my call!"he shouted out staring over Stiles' shoulder with a grin on his face before whispering, "Take my hand Stiles or i'll kill your friend." low enough that even Scott with his wolfy hearing couldnt hear.

Her hand was in his before she'd even processed it when suddenly her back was pinned to Peters front his other hand splayed across her stomach. Her heart jack rabbiting in her chest, oh god she was gonna die, wearing red at the hands of a wolf! Fuck no, her dad, this would destroy her dad! No, no, no, no, no! She's seventeen and gonna die a virgin! That is so fucked up!

"PUT HER DOWN!" Scott snarled, much closer now, he was fully wolfed out but he didnt stand a chance, not against the Alpha, not without Derek.

"You refused to kill her, so I'm going to do it for you."

"NO!"

xXx

Stiles woke up eight days later to Derek asleep at the foot of her hospital bed, Scott curled up on the floor in the corner of the room and Jackson and Lydia sharing the sofa under the window. It was really early in the morning judging by the weak sunlight creeping through the gaps in the shutters and there wasnt a part of her body that wasnt screaming in pain.

"Oh shit,"

Her tiny whimper had all four werewolves wide awake, instantly jumping to their pack human's defence, Dereks eyes were glowing red as he fluttered uselessly over her and woah, that was new. Apparently a lot had changed while she had been asleep. Alpha Derek, huh, she wasnt sure whether to rejoice or run in fear of those crimson eyes. A slightly deeper breath than before had her almost screaming in pain, yeah they'd be no running any time soon, rejoice it was.

"You're alive," her voice was rough and it hurt her throat to talk but she didnt care.

Scott looked like he wanted to hug her till she couldnt breath but didnt know where to touch without hurting her, Stiles wasnt sure it was possible.

Derek looked like he wanted to smack her for being so stupid and then swath her in cotton wool and woah that was a strange thought.

"I'm more suprised youre alive than any of us!" Lydia annouced sounding extremely relieved, perching on the edge of Stiles bed and taking her hand in both of her own. "Its been so quiet without you."

Stiles managed a small smile, noticing out of the corner of her eye how Derek slunk over to the couch and sat next to Jackson, who might have been pack but was anything but a friend to Stiles. She could see how tense the new Alpha was, every muscle in his body ready to fight at the smallest of incident. He was blaming everything on himself again and it was obviously affecting the pack.

The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, "It wasnt your fault Derek." Stiles had cut Lydia off mid sentence casting the room into silence. Derek stiffened under her gaze.

"He used me to get to you, how is that not my fault?" he asked, voice small, self hating. Stiles cracked her trademark grin.

"Hey if anything its Scotts fault," she said with a giggle ignoring the flare of pain in her chest, causing her best mate to squark in outrage. "I'm kidding! Im totally kidding! But really its noones fault but my own, I made the decision to run into certain death, i took his hand when he asked, i didnt run like you told me to, i was trying to be the hero but apparantly im destined for the role of damsel in distress," Derek didnt look convinced but his shoulders had at least slouched slightly, Scott was glaring at her jokingly, Lydia was smiling a secret little smile and Jackson looked as uncomfortable as a vegan at a bbq.

"Oh shit! My dress! Oh its probably ruined! And i dont even remember what i did with your shoes Lydia! Oh crap they cost a fortune!" The room dissolved into laughter at her rant, the pack needed a little light relief and if that job fell to Stiles well then who was she to complain. 


	2. Chapter 2

'Lies Don't wanna know, don't wanna know I can't let you, can't let you go I just want it to perfect To believe it's all been worth the fight Lies'

xXx Present Day xXx

A whole day free of school and then the entire weekend off sounded like the perfect remedy for a broken heart to Stiles as she finally got out of bed and dressed at about midday.

She dragged on a pair of ripped black jeans and a green plaid shirt, grabbed her perscription and purse and headed out into the world, thankful that she no longer needed crutches and could finally drive her baby, a rusted blue jeep wrangler, without being forced to sit in the passanger seat.

Shopping was uneventful and thankfully werewolf free, it was days like these she could almost believe she'd made the whole thing up, well that was until she got home and into the shower to see the five jagged scars that ran from just under the left side of her rib cage all the way across and down to her right upper thigh and if she could ignore the fact that her left leg would give out on her if she walked for too long due to the muscle damage left by huge claws. Well at least she couldnt see the scars on her back, although those were apparently the least noticeable, but above all that the fractured feeling of her frist heartbreak was enough of a reminder by itself so yeah, okay maybe she couldnt forget they existed at all.

Scott had already texted about eight times in an hour but had stopped as soon as Stiles had told him she was having a 'girls day', psshh, boys and their weak werewolves stomachs!

She got home about four and woke her dad before starting on the dinner, a home made chicken cassarole with dumplings and all of her dads five a day in it. The perfect comfort dinner.

She set the table for three like always, a way to honor her mom, ignoring that fact that for almost a year she'd been setting it for four and began dishing up.

"Just us tonight? No Derek?" the sheriff asked as he took his usual seat, "Mmmm smells awesome Stiles!"

Stiles froze at the mention of the unmentionable, "Ermm, I dont know where Derek is, we're err, not talking at the moment." understatment of the year.

Her dad frowned around a mouth full of cassarole. "I thought you two were, y'know," he made a rolling motion with his hands recieving a raised eyebrow from his daughter in return before saying, "y'know, together..."

Stile winced and flushed bright pink choking on a dumpling, "Oh dad no, okay, no we're not together, he just, he's pack, and hes protective of us all, especially me cause im human and breakable and..." she trailed off as a lump appeared in her throat, "Since, Spring formal, he, he's just looking out for me, but hes a prick and he lives in that burnt out husk of a home and he refuses to be happy and he doesnt realize the effect his words have on people and ughh! We're not talking about him anymore! Im calling a taboo!"

The sheriff smiled knowingly but stayed silent as he continued eating, he wasnt 100% happy with Stiles being in love with anyone, yet alone a freaking Alpha werewolf, but his baby wasnt a so much of a baby anymore, she was growing up and there was nothing he could do about it.

"If he breaks your hurt ive got wolf bane loaded into my shotgun shells." he added nonchalantly.

Stiles spluttered out a laugh that felt a little too close to crying for her liking, "Good to know dad, good to know."

xXx 7 months earlier xXx

"Okay, you need plenty of rest, you need to take all of your pills as instructed but NO ADDERALL, keep your leg elevated, if you have to leave your bed have someone carry you or use the wheel chair, change the dressing on your wounds every two days and ill see you in two weeks for your check up." Dr Melissa Mccall, Scotts mum and senior Dr at Beacon hills hospital announced after three weeks of hospital beds and food and lights.

"You mean I can go home?" Melissa nodded with a smile as Stiles let out a woop! "Yes! Ugh finally! No offence but my bed is 100 times more comfortable than this one and all my box sets are at home and YAY!" The sheriff walked in half way through her happy rant followed by Derek who seemed to be containing a smile. "Dad did you hear the good news! I get to go home!"

The sheriff grinned wide, "I know but there's one itty bitty catch." Stiles sombered. Oh no this cant be good.

"As I have loads of work following all these attacks, and the fact that you need round the clock care, Derek here has offered to stay at ours and help out until you're better," Stiles let out a squark trying to catch Dereks eyes but he was looking any where but at her. Pfft cowardly werewolf.

"Of course Scott and the others can come round after school, but Dereks the best choice for looking after you, after all his mom and sister were both trained nurses and they taught him everything just in case, so he can help you if anything goes wrong."

For once in her life Stiles was speachless.

"You ready to go then honey?"

Unable to find her voice Stiles just nodded.

xXx Two weeks later xXx

It wasnt that Stiles was a prude, she'd just hadnt ever really fancied any of the boys at school, well other than Jackson, but she wanted to strangle him to death just as much as she wanted to sit on his face so he didnt really count, well that and that fact that he was so far out of her league that it was just plain cruel.

She'd even been worried for a bit that the rumors around school were true and she actually was a lesbian.

But then Derek Hale had moved back into town and her childish, school girl crush that she'd had on him when she was eleven came crashing back with a vengeance accompanied by teenage hormones and that fact that he kept slamming her up against walls because she didnt know when to shut up and the fact that he rarely wore a shirt and well, you've got an extremely horny teenager with no idea on how to act on it.

Even when he was almost dying from Kate Argents bullet Stiles had had trouble focusing on anything but the clenching of his muscles and wondering if he'd arch his back like that whilst she was, and we're getting off topic.

So yeah, Stiles wasnt a lesbian, despite all the rumors, she was however, extremely hot for Derek Hale.

The very same Derek Hale that was currently living in her house, helping her change and shower and put on fresh bandages. He's even cooked for her for gods sakes! And whilst she may be hopped up on more drugs then she could count on her fingers, (mostly because shes drugged up like all the time), shes totally convinced that he's been sleeping in her bed and not in the guest room he's been given because she keeps waking up to gentle fingers brushing through her hair and soft lips pressed to her forehead, in a way her father never does.

Her bed even smells like Derek. The whole house smells like his posh aftershave, hell Stiles herself was pretty sure she smelt like him too. Its pretty distracting.

She wasnt deluded though, she was pretty sure she knew what was going on, she was the weakest member of his pack and she was injured, Derek was simply marking her so everyone knew she was pack and not to be messed with just as much as he was making sure she knew she was pack and that she was protected. If was basic werewolf 101.

Until, y'know, it sort of wasnt.

xXx

"You dont know what you're talking about Jackson so shut up."

Stiles was on the cusp of being awake but part of her was still being pulled down by the drugs in her system so she couldnt quite break the surface and wake up.  
she knew there were people in her room though, definetely Derek because he hadnt left in the two weeks she'd been home and by the sounds of it Jackson, which in itself was strange because she and Jackson still werent getting on, pack or not.

"I'm right, I know I am, Stilinksi's your mate! Thats why Peter used her to get to Scott instead of Alison, he used Stiles because he wanted to get to you aswell!"

Derek growled low and threatening in his throat but it did nothing to quell the smug tone of Jackson's voice.

"Leave it alone Jackson or I'll make you shut up." he bit out around clentched teeth.

"Okay, okay calm down, its not like im gonna tell her but, why dont you just claim her dude? Your wolf is making all of our wolves skittish and if I figured it out you know Lydias going to and she'l tell Stiles straight away."

"Jackson."

"What dude, its so obvious, I mean she smells just like you, not like pack, like You and if you just..."

"Im not claiming Stiles, Jackson, now get out and go to school."

"But.."

"Out. School. Now."

The front door slamming signal Stiles was alone with Derek again.

"Shh Stiles, its still early, keep sleeping."

A small smile crept onto her face as a heavy weight dipped the bed next to her and a cool hand smoothed her hair away from her forhead.

Mates with Derek... that sounded nice.  
Too bad she wouldnt remember it in the morning

xXx

"STILES SIT YOUR ASS DOWN!" Derek growled at her as she tried to get off of the couch without his help.

"Keep your hair on grandad i just need to use the bathroom, its like five steps away! Im not a toddler I can do it on my own!" she defended rolling her eyes at her overprotective alpha.

"Now Stiles. Wait two minutes and ill help you, youre gonna hurt yourself, STILES!"

Too late, her leg gave out as soon as she took her hand off of the sofa ad she crumbled to the ground.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!"

"Fuck!"

Derek was across the room in a second, scooping Stiles up into his arms and cradling her against his chest, his nose buried in her neck.

There were tears in her eyes but the pain had vanished as soon as he'd picked her up, now she just felt stupid.

"Okay, you were right, erm Derek?"

"Shh."

Stiles, for once in her life did what she was told and relaxed into his arms, Derek moved them to the couch laying them both down and curling around Stiles' slighter body.

"Not that im not all for cuddles but.."

"Shh!"

"Okay fine, fine, i'll shut up!"

Derek made a sortof growl in his chest as she finally settled, he was so warm and suprisingly comfortable considering he was all hard muscle and 'oh yeah there goes my mind to the gutter', Stiles didnt realise she was falling asleep until Dereks voice brought her back.

"I thought I'd lost you."

Stiles twisted in his arms turning to see his face, he looked like he was the one in pain instead of her.

"I only fell theres no need to worr.."

"Not just then, back at the school, when Peter... I thought i'd lost you just like I lost them."

The 'them' goes unexplained, Stiles knew he meant his family and by association Peter too, even if he wasnt himself at the end.

"Im fine," she assured him cupping his face in one of hands to make him meet her eyes, "I'm right here see, I'm fine."

He nodded slightly and it made her heart stutter in her chest, she'd never seen Derek look anything but angry or annoyed or in pain. He looked so much younger laying beside her on her beat up couch in her haunted house, he actually looked 22 instead of some ancient werewolf, as if the world resided on his shoulders.

"He picked you because of me, not because of Scott. If he'd only been going after Scott it would have been so much easier for him to get to Ailson then you. He rang you because it would hurt me, Scott was a secondary thought, it was me he wanted to punish." A shudder ran through his body and he pulled Stiles closer. She'd never heard him speak so much in her life, it made her feel oddly privelegded.

"When I was battered and bleeding and he was saying how youd make an excellent alpha female, he was seriously contemplating doing it, he was gonna bite you and turn you and rub it in my face that you were his and not mine," anger clouded his eyes before he chuckled slightly, "It wouldnt have worked though, he realised that after just five minutes with you, you'd never submit to him, youre too strong to be controlled by someone like him." Dereks voice sounded strangely proud, proud that Stiles was strong even if she was only a human in his pack.

That pained look crossed his face again as he screwed his beautiful sea foam eyes shut.

"But then he ripped you open instead and, and I... I couldnt imagen a world without you in it." He slowly opened his eyes and Stiles was staring straight back, warm cinnamon into apple green, it felt like the only possible, reasonable thing in the world to do was kiss eachother.

So that was exactly what they did and after recalling their moments in hell it was like waking up in heaven.

To Stiles it felt like coming home and the look on Dereks face told her that he felt exactly the same.  



	3. Chapter 3

'You're to proud to say That you made a mistake You're a coward till' the end I don't want to admit that we're not gonna fit No I'm not the type that you like Why don't we just pretend?'

xXx The Day Before Present xXx

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME STILES!"

"I want you to stop being a coward Derek! I want you to feel something for once! Do you like being miserable! Do you! Why cant you just let yourself be happy! For once!"

Her lamp didnt stand a chance as Derek swiped it off of the table smashing it against the wall.

"What part of 'I cant be with you', isnt getting through your thick skull? I cant be with you Stiles! We CANT be TOGETHER!"

"BULLSHIT! You're scared and youre trying to run like a terrified little boy because you know with us its not gonna be just a one night stand, hell if we're doing that its a bit too late dont you think! At this point im pretty sure I know your body better then I do mine by now! So what is it huh! Whats the real reason you wont let your self be with me? I think I deserve to know after being your fuck toy for half a year!"

Stiles was red in the face, her heart jack hammering against her rib cage.

They've been pussy footing around this for months between stolen kisses and stolen virginity and not talking about any thing unless the lights were off and theyre the only ones home.

Derek simply glared, chest heaving, his eyes dangerously close to turning red.

Stiles stared him down, she wasnt the scared little virgin she'd been when they started this six months prior, she wasnt letting this go, not when they were so damn close to being something.

"TELL ME DEREK! C'mon Big Bad Alpha! Whats so wrong with me huh? What is it that makes me good enough for a quick shag but completely undateable? Huh? TELL ME!"

The growl that ripped from his chest made her jump out of her skin.

"YOU'RE NOT MY MATE STILES!"

Oh.

So thats what heartbreak feels like.

"W..what?" Her voice sounds pittiful even to her own ears, she must sound fucking pathetic to Dereks.

He sighed, running a hand through his thick black hair, he looked disheveled and a little bit broken; regretful.

"You're not my mate Stiles, I'm sorry but youre not, and... And im just gonna break your heart, not because i'll want to but because I've been promised to someone else, just like Scott and Alison, I wont have a choice, do you understand that Stiles?"

"Oh..." Her heart was lodged in her throat, choking her, she couldnt use her words, couldnt process what was being said so she simply nodded.

Derek's smile was grim, he looked as sick as she felt.

"I love you," Ouch, that hurt like fuck, "and you're pack but... You need to move on, you need to..."Derek paused, closing hazel eyes, "You need to leave Beacon Hills after graduation,"

Stiles actually choked on her breath at that, brown eyes wide in disbelief.

"You need to leave before you get hurt so bad you cant be fixed."

Shit. Internal bleeding didnt hurt half as much as this.

"I'm sorry, just... I'm so sorry."

He opened his eyes but Stiles couldnt look at him, she felt like her bones were suddenly concrete, she felt his presence move closer to her before deciding against it and crossing the room instead.

The moment Derek jumped out of her window Stiles emptied her stomach into the trash can.

Her daddy always told her boys werent worth the heart ache.

If only she'd listened.

xXx Present Day xXx

Saturday morning saw Stiles making a pillow fort in her living room, with enough sweets to feed an army and all six seasons of Supernatural on dvd.

She hadnt bothered changing out of her pj's and was currently looking up universities on her laptop. If Derek wanted her gone then fine, she'd leave. Her grades we're good enough and she'd already been excepted to a shed load of Uni's far enough away from him, but close enough so her dad could still visit. No biggy. No siree bob.

The door bell rang at half three and Stiles opened the door to find Lydia looking as imaculate as always carrying way too many bags of chinese take out.

"Oh my god you actual saint! Come in, come in, come in!" Lydia chuckled allowing Stiles to usher her into her house.

"Yeah, well Ive heard food can mend a broken heart."

Stiles froze as she placed the take out on the kitchen table.

"Err... What do you mean?" she asked faking innocence as she ripped open the bag of prawn crackers with more force then strickly needed.

Lydia sighed and rested her hands on Stiles' shoulders, kneeding at the tension in them. "Youre phone is set to voicemail, you missed school, Derek smashed up his living room on Thursday night after he was at yours and he hasnt spoken since, he just keeps growling. I can smell salt on your cheeks and clothes so I know youve been crying, plus Mrs Ecklson said you saw you at the store yesterday buying enough candy to last you until next halloween. I know you Stiles and I know Derek too, you're both hurting and I want to help you."

Lydia wasnt Teen Queen in that moment, she wasnt acting or playing dumb, she wasnt doing something that would benefit herself later; she was being real. She was just a teenage girl helping out her best friend because thats what they had become, it had taken eight months, a pack of werewolves and a near death experiance but they finally had a friendship that meant something, one that would last.

The thought made Stiles wanna laugh and cry and tell Scott to go and suck it all at once.

"Okay, fine, but we need to take this to the living room first."

And that was how the two 18 year old girls ended up in a pillow fort eating chinese food and sweets like they were in preschool instead of on the cusp of graduating and heading off to Uni.

"So," Lydia started after taking a massive bite out of her kow pung chicken. "Whats wrong."

Stiles crumpled, smile slipping from her face as she shoved a handful of gummy worms into her mouth.

"Ey wuv im."

Lydia raised one perfectly sculptured eyebrow in question and Stiles held up her hand whilst she chewed and swallowed.

"I love him Lydia."

Lydia nodded in understanding, she'd put that much together herself.

Stiles took the red heads silence as means to go on.

"We've been... having sex for like six months and I thought it was going well, I thought it was going somewhere, I mean, he was all sweet and attentive and he actually talks to me y'know, like more then just monosylables! We have actual meaningful conversations and then the next minute we're fighting and he's telling me to leave him alone and spitting all this bull about how we 'cant be together' and that I need to stop seeing him because hes older than me and hes a werewolf and hes dangerous and urrghh! But he keeps coming back, climbing through my window and stealth cuddling me and then it all starts all over again..." Stiles paused dragging her hand through her tangled hair, Lydia placed her hand on Stiles' thigh in reassurence.

"Get it off of your chest honey, you'll feel better, trust me."

The funny thing was Stiles did trust her, trusted her more then anyone except her dad and...

"OH! And did you know he told me that he, and I quote, 'Couldnt imagen living without me!' I mean seriously! He's giving me all these mixed signals and its been going on for months! MONTHS!" She paused again taking a big bite out of a brownie chewing with an extremely adorable but serious look on her face. Lydia almost wanted to smile at her but the rant wasnt over yet, the jokes could wait until after the heart to heart.

"What happened on Thursday then?" she asked instead, "Must have been bad for Derek to lose his temper I mean, his house is wrecked, well more wrecked than usual."

Stiles rubbed her face and Lydia noticed the tears pooling in her chocolate eyes, her inner wolf wanted to make Derek cry for hurting her pack sister.

"We err, we we're making out and I just made an off hand comment about how we might aswell date because we spend all our time together anyway and how im certainly not kissing anyone else and he just loses his shit. He starts yelling and then im yelling and then he tells me that im not his mate and that theres no point in us even trying because ill never be his mate so... yeah." Lydia made an odd keening sound in her throat before dragging the now sobbing Stiles to her chest, rocking the younger girl in her arms.

"Thats not the worst part either, he, he told me to leave Beacon Hills after graduation, he told me to get out of town before I get seriously hurt." Lydia actually growled at that, low and feral clutching Stiles tighter in her arms. "I'd already applied to Berekly and they accepted me so, I'll probably go there, I means its close enough that I can visit but... yeah."

They sit quietly for a while, the only sounds Stiles' soft crying and the comforting shhing sounds Lydia keeps making.

Lydia couldnt figure Derek out, she was 100% sure he and Stiles were mates, hell even Jackon had noticed, so why was Derek denying it. A werewolf refusing it's mate was like a fish refusing to swim. So what the hell was he playing at?

"I'm sorry for ruining your top." Stiles whispered sometime later pulling Lydia from her thoughts.

"Shh Stiles just, let it out, Im here for you."

xXx

Sheriff Stilinski arrived home that night to two teenage girls curled up together and fast asleep on his sofa surrounded by an unholy amount of junk food. He lips were just about to quirk into a grin when he noticed the tear tracks dried on his daughters cheeks and how Supernatural was paused on the telly.

Putting two and two together, after all he wasnt sheriff for nothing, he tucked the girls in with the quilt his late wife had knitted and headed up to his room to dig out his Wolfbane shot gun shells, no one messes with a Stilinski without concequence, Alpha werewolf or not.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: So i'm not overly thrilled with this chap but yeah... theres some smut in the middle! The first ive ever written so im a little nervous posting this! Review and let me know what you think! :D x ...

...

...

.

'You only ever touch me in the dark,  
Only if we're drinking can you see my spark,  
And only in the evening,  
Could you give yourself to me,  
'Cause the night is your women,  
And she'll set you free.'

xXx Present Day xXx

Stiles wakes up alone, again, she's gotten used to waking up in strong pale arms, her head cusioned on a brilliantly muscled..."Oh my god Stiles stop that thought right there!" This is a Derek Hale free zone from now on. No more Alpha werewolves playing games with her head, no siree bob!

She makes her way downstairs after getting dressed in a fresh pair of sweats and her dad's old police academy tshirt. She makes breakfast, cooking enough to feed three, or well, one and a hungry werewolf, "Ahh crap!" Thats a dollar for the nothinkingaboutDerek jar.

Cursing, she celophanes the extra bacon sandwiches and puts them in her fridge for her dad, not anyone else, nope, not at all.

"Okay Stiles focus, do not think about sour broody werewolves. Think of the 20 pages of course work you havent done instead." Stiles feels suddenly calmer, all thoughts of Der...

"Ahh SHIT!"

Stiles sprints back up stairs, crap she'd totally forgotten about her coursework! Finstock was going to KILL HER!

Four hours and more adderall than was strickly legal later she finally finished her course work. She still had a few hours till her dad gets home so she decides to pack her books ready for school on Monday and pick out an outfit in true Lydia fashion. She's never been so orginized for school ever.

She manages to do nothing for a whole hour before giving up on trying to distract herself and cooking a dinner for one, which she eats whilst watching The I.T Crowd, still alone, still in her big empty house that had been brought anticipating a big family and not a struggling, single father who works a little too much and an adderall abusing, teenage, tom boy who hangs out with werewolves, both of whom have a huge mum sized hole that was nowhere near being filled.

Sunday used to be her favourite day of the week when she was younger, she and her mum would always spend the entire day baking cupcakes or painting or playing outside in the woods behind their house, forever making a mess and causing chaos.

At around fiveish her dad would order take away and they'd all curl up in the living room with blankets and pillows and Stiles' home made, patchwork quilt that her mum had spent the entirerty of her pregnancy knitting, (she'd given up soon after Stiles was born and according to Stiles' dad, had hurled the knitting needles into the pond at the bottom of their garden with a triumphant yell), and they'd watch old black and white films about star crossed lovers with impeccable manners and rediculous accents, mocking them the whole time.

Stile would always fall asleep with her head in her mums lap, her feet in her dads surrounded by love and warmth and family.

Recently things had been a little different, her and her father still got take away but now they watched up-to-date films, anything with action or superheroes in it that they could talk trash about and rewrite the scripts the way they wanted them to go, they'd have a little cuddle but would always end up in their own beds instead of sleeping on the couch.

In the last few months theyd been joined by Derek as he wouldnt leave Stiles unattended whilst she was still injured and as the alpha that meant that wherever he went his lap dogs werent far behind and before the Stilinski's knew it, father-daughter bonding night turned into father-daughter-pack bonding nights. There were fights over films, at least four or five different kinds of take out skattered on the coffee table and once they had tired themselves out they'd all fall asleep in sleeping bags on the livingroom floor prefering to create a kind of mock puppy pile up instead of using the guestrooms upstairs.

It was loud and chaotic and whilst Stiles was still recovering, slightly dangerous, but it brought life and happiness and a sence of the big family the Stilinski's had always wanted into their haunted home so, they didnt mind too much.

But, alas, even that wasnt happening today, her dad was working a shift due to the dissapearance of some women from the edge of town, Lydia was being forced into a family dinner with her divorcing parents which would end up with Lydia getting some useless, expensive gift to make up for them being shitty parents, Scott and Alison were on a date since her parents were out of town so they can make out all they want without fear of Alison's dad blowing Scotts brains out and Jackson wouldnt set foot in her house without Derek around and Derek... Well, there was still no development there. Stiles was hurting and he could go screw himself as far as she cared... Hmm, that almost sounded convincing.

Stiles let out a long sigh pouring herself an orange juice and flopping down at the kitchen table. Crying to Lydia had made her feel both better and worse, better because she'd had a chance to let everything out to someone who knew them both and had her back but worse because it made the situation real. Derek didnt want Stiles, Derek wants Stiles to leave Beacon Hills, Stiles isnt and never will be Derek's Mate.

She almost wishes she could go back seven months and say no when he crawled into her bed and into her heart.

As soon as the thought crosses her mind she dissmisses it, she may not be Derek's mate but she was pretty sure he was it for her and now... Now she's left with memories of the best she'll ever have, "Ughh god Stiles you sound like some bimbo chick on some stupid reality show!" she chasted herself alound, the silence of her house mocking her.

They always say its better to have loved and lost then to never love in the first place... That sort of sounded like bullshit to Stiles, what kind of dumbass wrote that, probably a man, yup, she'd bet her collage scholaship on it!

"Ughhhh" Stiles dropped her head to the heavy oak of the kitchen table, banging it against the surface a few times.

She had a month before graduation. A month until she had to say goodbye to Beacon Hills, and by accociation, Derek, for good.

She would only be a five hour drive away, she would still see Scott and Alison who were attending UCLA together and Lydia had promised to go and stay with Stiles every chance she gets when shes not at MIT. (Lydia is insainly good at maths, she told Stiles she'd been hiding her way, way, WAY higher than average grades from everyone since she was a kid but now she was telling everyone. It was good bye school bitch and hello super smart, super sexy, best friends with Stiles, Lydia Martin.)

Jackson had mentioned going to Berkley once or twice but he probably wouldnt seperate from the pack so he'd end up going to UCLA, Stiles assumed Derek would be going with them after all you cant have a pack without an alpha. Huh, pack. Two years ago Stiles would have laughed in the face of whoever told her shed be a part of a werewolf pack, yet here she was.

She wouldnt be pack once she left Beacon Hills though, she wasnt bound by blood or sire bond, Stiles was 100% pure bred human, she wasnt even the girlfriend of any of them, she was just the token hyperactive human who had had a brief sexual relationship with the alpha that was now over and as soon as she moved out of Beacon hills her connection would be severed... Everything would change.

She was gonna need something stronger than orange juice.

xXx 5 months earlier xXx

It was all too much.

Too hot and too fast and too good and "Ohmygodyestheretherethere!"

The wall was freezing against Stiles' heated skin but she could barely feel it as Derek was burning through her body, boiling the blood in her veins, seeping the hot touch of him into her very bones.

Sharp teeth on the edge of becoming fangs nipped and grazed the length of her jaw, dragging down her throat untill he was sucking deep bruises onto the perfect ivory skin of her collarbone.

His hands were everywhere all at once, a trail of fire being left in their wake. Fingertips digging into her hips marking her, "Mineminemine."

With a spine tickling growl that shouldnt have been such a turn on but totally was, Derek picked her up, hands clasped under her thighs to wrap around his naked waist, his arousel thick and hard against her core.

The sounds escaping her mouth would make a porn star blush but god was it good, she'd never felt so alive and desperate to claw out of her own skin and into his.

'It couldnt possibly get any better than this'. she thought dizzily as two thick fingers rubbed her in circles until up was down and left was right.

Her world shattered into blissful shuddering pieces as she peaked, shaking in strong arms that were the only thing anchoring her to the earth.

It couldnt possibly get any better until suddenly it did as he tossed her onto his bed, crawling in between her spread legs to swipe his sinful tongue against her clit whilst rolling the hard nub of her nipple between his fingers.

"Ugh fuck, OhmygodDerekyou'reagod."

He chuckled against her sweet spot rattling her bones with his hot breath before sliding up her body to kiss her deep and wet and dirty as fuck.

"You ready Stiles?" he asked panting into her neck as he pulled away for breath.

Stiles could barely wait, she needed him so bad it hurt.

"YES! Yes! Always! Nownownow."

Hazel eyes gave way to crimson as he thrust inside her completely to the hilt and "Perfect, shit Stiles, you're so perfect."

Stiles was beyond words at this point, just mumbling random sounds and 'fuck' and on the verge of whimpering Dereks name because this was it for her.

It wouldnt matter how many times they did this it would never get old, never be any less amazing, it would never be anthing other then perfect.

They fit like puzzle pieces made uniquely for eachother.

"YESYESYES! Right there! Fuck! YES!"

Derek was pounding into her like it was the last time he'd ever have sex and Stiles was arching into his slick, sexy as fuck body and pulling him even deeper as if her life depended on it.

"Fuck Stiles I'm gonna cum, ugh cum with me baby. Come on. Cum with me," Dereks voice was rough and dark and demanding, his hands tangled in her wavy brown hair tilting her head back to suck on the sensitive part of her throat.

That was all Stiles needed to crash over the edge, clinging to his broad shoulders and shaking from head to toe whilst Derek slammed into her one last time, teeth embedded in her shoulder as he spilled himself inside.

Stiles was wrecked, exhausted and blissed out, a dopey smile tattooed onto her full red lips.

High on his orgasm, Derek pressed a tender kiss to Stiles' beautiful lips before curling her into the protective circle of his arms, careful to mind her claw marks still tender from Peter's attack.

She was marked in more ways then one now, and with the knowlege that no one would touch what was so obviously his, he joined Stiles in sleep.

xXx Present Day xXx

The charred inner wall of Derek's living room didnt stand a chance as he smashed his curled up fist through it.

He barely felt the bursting of his knuckles or the itchy sensation as they knitted themselves back together.

It felt as though there was an icy blade shoved deep in his chest and it was so fucking painful to breathe past it, his head was spinning worse than the night he and Stiles drank tequila at Jackson's halloween party. The memory of that night was playing in his brain before he could stop it.

He'd barely been able to walk that night he was so drunk yet he'd managed to shred the flimsy french maid costume Stiles had been made to wear after she lost a bet with Lydia and slam her against a wall.

He'd been so drunk he hadnt been able to talk but hed somehow managed to tell Stiles that she was beautiful and perfect and a fucking tease for letting people that werent him look at her and talk to her and touch her.

He hadnt been able to remember a number for a cab or even how to work his own phone but he'd had no problems sucking a deep violet bruise onto the the slope of her throat before swallowing her cries for 'moremoremore'.

He hadnt been able to turn the world the right way up but hed managed to make love to Stiles until neither of them could move or do anything but pant and grin and and colapse into blissed out sleep.

God he was such a fuck up!

Derek picked up the charred remains of the coffee table and hurled it all the wall cauing a shower of splinters to rain down on him as the table shattered into pieces.

He loved Stiles, she was his mate, his everything and he was pushing her away, he was hurting her, breaking her heart as well as his own.

It wass for the best.

But Im miserable.

But she'll be safe.

But I'll be miserable!

She can live a proper life this way, no threat of hunters killing her or rogue wolves attacking her because she smells like pack. No, this way she can get married and have kids and...

His inner wolf howled out inside of him at the thought of their mate with someone else.

'A werewolf who loses his mate loses himself'.

He rememers his mum telling him how werewolves mate for life, there was no escaping them once your inner wolf recognized them as 'the one' and if your mate dies your inner wolf dies along with them and a lot of werewolves had perished simply by grief.

Stiles though, she was more important than his happiness, she'd almost died once, she'd literally been ripped to shreds, he had almost lost her, lost her in the way that he would never be able to come back from, he couldnt risk that again, as long as she was alive and happy, Derek would be alive. He could live without her being his but the thought of a world without her in it made him want to curl up and wait for death.

The birds flocked away from the burnt out Hale house as a heart breaking howl tore through the night.

Derek had to do this, Stiles was so young, 18 was a time for living, Derek was so unbeilievably wrong for her, he had to let her go; it was the right thing to do. 


	5. Chapter 5

You're too proud to say That you made a mistake You're a coward till' the end I don't want to admit that we're not gonna fit No I'm not the type that you like Why don't we just pretend?

xXx ...

.  
It's three weeks until graduation and Stiles is packing her bags when she's hit with the most peculiar thought, she dissmisses it almost immediately telling herself, "Don't be silly! Nuhuh, no way!"

She forces a giggle at her own stupidity and goes back to shoving as many comical tshirts as possible into a box labled 'FOR UNI' occasionally throwing a peticularly dirty/faded/too small/or-used-to-belong-to-someone-who-shall-not-be-named shirts into a seperate box labled 'BURN OR STORE, NOT FOR UNI'.

Its too late though, her ADD takes over and suddenly the rogue thought wont leave her head.

Ten minutes later and things are being stuffed into boxes with slightly more force than neccessary and her cuddly wolf she's had since birth is sitting at the bottom of the 'BURN OR STORE' box squished under a French to German dictionary.

Another ten minutes later and Stiles has taken to singing Justin Beiber songs to drown out the equally annoying voices in her head.

Twenty minutes later shes packing up her toilettries when a lone box of tampons takes the brunt of her anger as she hurls them against the wall of her bathroom before finally she gives into her hyperactive mind.

Thirty minutes after that she's dressed in a bright blue wig she found at the back of her wardrobe, huge bug eyed sunglasses that were actually Lydias and a pink and yellow poka dot dress that belonged to her mother, deeming herself disguised twice as well as any ninja in those brain melting films she watches, she heads out of her house to prowl the shelves of a local supermarket two towns over.

An hour after that see's Stiles locked in her ensuit bathroom, pee on her hand whilst she stares blankly at the three plastic wands on the side of her bath all sporting two seemingly innocent red lines.

"Fuck."

She manages to reach the sink before she empties her stomach on to the floor.

xXx The Day Before Graduation xXx

Graduation snuck up on Stiles like a sneaky thing that sneaks. She remembers when three weeks used to feel like a lifetime but now, god she had to leave Beacon Hills and her dad and her friends and her ex lover and she was pregnant!

Oh god Stiles was pregnant at 18, Stiles was going to be a single teenage parent at 18.

Oh god no, Stiles was a teenage percentage! How had she gone from being a virgin to pregnant in under a year?

Unconsiously her hand slipped down to rest on her flat belly. She had a baby growing in her stomach, a real live breathing baby, a real live breathing baby that was probably going to be a werewolf.

"SHIT!"

She could feel her breakfast of bacon and toast, forgoing eggs as apparently they were bad for you if youre 'with child', swirling in her stomach and almost doesnt make it to her bathroom.

She hasnt had a period in three months, had put it down to stress and the fact that her periods were always all over the place and it wasnt like she was having unprotected sex, she'd seen teen mom, she wasnt stupid.

Unless, rubbers didnt work on super powered werewolf sperm and ohholysthitStilesisPREGNANT!

Her dad was going to KILL her... or y'know, Derek.

Oh crap, Derek!

Stiles winced at the thought of him finding out, he'd go crazy! He'd gotten someone that wasnt his mate pregnant, or bred? Nope, sticking to human terms but what if she has a wolf pup instead of a baby? Can a new born shift? Would it grow in her quicker? Did she even have nine months?

The panic attack caught her almost as off guard as graduation had.

"Stiles? Stiles honey you okay?"

Stiles had never been so glad to see her dad in her life and she was across the room and sobbing into his arm like a lightening bolt.

"Hey, hey baby whats wrong?" The sheriff asked softly, brushing her hair with his fingers and rubbing her back in soothing circles.

"You're gonna hate me," Stiles mumbles miserbly into his uniform, clutching to her dad in fear that he'd shove her away like Derek did when he realised she wasnt his mate and... Her body was wreaked with a fresh wave of tears as she curled further into her daddy's embrace feeling the same as she had when she was six and was convinced there was monsters in her wardrobe.

"I could never hate you honey you know that," her dad cooed hugging her tighter, "Tell your daddy whats wrong."

Reluctantly, Stiles untangled herself from her father, wiping at her leaking eyes. She sniffled and took a deep breath before deciding that honesty was definetly the best policy and word vomiting all over her dad.

"Im pregnant and its Derek's so its probably a werewolf and he doesnt know and I cant tell him because im not his mate thats why we're not together and he told me to leave Beacon hills and thats the real reason why im going to Berkely well that and because you met mum there and thats awesome and I swear we used protection dad but it obviously doesnt work with werewolves and i cant abort a baby even if it comes out as a wolf and im going to be such a crappy mum and I dont know if i want Derek to find out 'cause I cant face anymore rejection from him and please dont shoot him because I still love him and Im so, so, so, so sorry!"

The sheriff stared at his daughter in absolute shock for about 15 minutes before saying, "I need a drink," taking his daughter's hand in his own and dragging her to the kitchen.

xXx Later that day xXx

It had taken three hours and half a bottle of Jack before her dad had wrapped his head around the situation, and then he was slipping from 'dad mode' into 'sheriff mode' ready to tackle his daughters problems like he would a case.

"Okay, here's what we're going to do. You tell Lydia because i know she's pretty much your best friend and she's the only one in the pack who'll be seeing you regularly, I think we should also tell Melissa as she's a nurse and is in on the whole werewolf thing...Yeah we definetly tell Lydia and Melissa but we make sure they keep it a secret." The sheriff pauses to take a gulp of the amber liquid in his glass as Stiles makes notes on her old biology legal pad, glad that her dad wasnt disowning her.

"You say goodbye or y'know 'see ya later' to your mates and you go to Berkley as planned, I will come see you every weekend and when Derek is up at UCLA with the rest of the pack you can come here. We'll visit the doctors at Berkely so no one here knows and theres no risk of Derek over hearing anything." Stiles nods, glad that her dad was willing to help and still loved her even though she'd fucked up big.

"Once he or she is born we can plan further but up until that point we need to focus on a healthy pregancy,"

"Ive downloaded every single book that even mentions pregancy and ive been reading through them for three weeks." Stiles admits blushing pink whilst her dad studies her with an unfathomable look in his eyes.

"What?"

The sheriff suddenly grins and drags his daughter into a bear hug, "I'm pissed at you for getting pregant so young dont get me wrong and with a werewolf at that but, im so excited to be a grandad!"

Stiles smiled into her dads shoulder, as long as she has him she'd be fine, she didnt need no sour wolf to be happy nuhuh, she was a strong independant young women who would do perfectly fine without him.

"Oh my god if its a boy im calling him Jarvis."

"Im calling child services to warn them in advance!"

The Stilinski house hold dissolved into giggles and suddenly the big heavy black cloud over Stiles' head seemed a little lighter, like the sunlight was finally breaking through the gaps.

xXx Graduation Day xXx

Stiles had rung and told Lydia about the baby wolf growing inside her the second her and her dad had decided on their plans.

Needless to say Lydia was shocked. Hell she was poopyourpants shocked, shocked like having a thousand volts rage through your body shocked.

It had taken a two hour phone call and a sleepover before Lydia even believed her and then she suddenly turned into 'Over-protective Self Proclaimed God Mother Of Stiles' Unborn Baby Who Will Not Be Called Jarvis Because Thats Not A Real Name God Women! Auntie Lydia' ,(it was a mouthful but Stiles' baby was going to be a whole heap of smart so he/she would probably be able to pronounce it with little difficulty).

Lydia's wolf was concious of the fact that Stiles was Lydias pack which by default meant that little bitty baby Stiles would also be pack. Add that to the fact that the baby would be part Derek who was her alpha and Lydia was hit with the sudden need to protect Stiles with her life, she didnt want to leave the fragile humans side. Being so far away from eachother whilst at collage was going to be difficult and Lydia was already planning ways to get down to Berkley move often than shed originally planned.

"Dont worry Stiles, Auntie Lydia will be there every step of the way."

Stiles felt even more of her black cloud shrinking in the sunshine.

xXx

Graduation was cringeworthy and for the first time Stiles was looking forward to skipping town, first she tripped whilst recieving her diploma and Lydia had practically thrown herself at her to make sure she didnt hit the floor and hurt the baby, secondly Derek was there, (of course he was, how could he miss such an important part of his packs life?) and he kept sniffing the air around her and making excuses to touch her and sending her apologetic looks with his soul searching hazel eyes that made her want to weep because God how is it fair that one person can be so beautiful! And lastly she had to wear a stupid cap and gown and take thousands and thousands of photos when all she wanted to do was put on her sweats and eat doritos, or donuts or both. Stupid food cravings.

Whilst she was having her photo taken with Scott he dragged his nose against her skin and whispered in that totally adorable lost puppy way, "You smell wierd."

Stiles rolled her eyes keeping her exterior calm whilst she paniced like crazy inside.

"Oh thanks buddy that always exactly what a girl wants to hear!"

Scott looked confused for a moment before it clicked and he was back tracking like a pro, god bless Alison for putting up with him.

"No i didnt mean bad weird just different weird, like you but more, I mean you always smell like pack but right now you smell like you and your dad and me and Lydia but i can also smell Derek which is weird because you havent hung out with him in weeks plus there this different smell that i cant place yet..."

"Woah there buddy! You're rambling skills are putting mine to shame!" Stiles cried out nervously causing Scott to blush tomato red. Scott wasnt the brightest crayon in the box but when he got on a rambling roll like that he almost always figured things out, as if by saying everything he could think of out loud meant that he could pick out the truth. It was like his super power before the werewolf train crashed into town.

"Oh hey look i think i see Alison!" Stiles annouced too loudly so that Alison could hear them from across the field, "Why dont we go and speak to her!"

Scotts brain seemed to close back up at the mention of his girlfriend resetting its self to its default setting of 'AlisonAlisonAlisonAlison'. Stiles let out a sigh of relief, this secret keeping shit was harder than she thought.

xXx

It had been a long, long day.

Stiles could remember ever hugging and taking photos with so many people in her life! People she'd never even met kept coming up to her and getting her to sign their yearbooks, hell! Even Jackson put his arm around her for a photo.

It had been an extremely long day and now she had to drive like five hours out of town and move into her dorm room! JOYS!

Just as Stiles was about to leave after saying her goodbyes to everyone for the fifth time, Derek cornered her against her jeep, all broody and gorgeous in his trademak leather jacket and three days worth of stubble.

"Hey."

Stiles hesitated twirling her keys in her fingers.

"Hi."

They stand in awkward silence, well it was silent to Stiles but Derek had super rediculous hearing so it was probably never silent to him.

"I wanted to say bye and I er, wanted to tell you that Im sorry, you deserve better than what I can give you."

It sounds painful for him to get the words out, his hazel eyes look a little misty and his fists are curled at his sides, Stiles isnt a pro at reading body language or anything but even she can tell that these are not the words he wants to be saying, can tell that its not just her he's lying too.

She gulps at the thought that he's not the only one not telling the truth.

"Erm, okay, err thanks I suppose..." She trails off not knowing what to say without crying or screaming or crumbling to the cement under her feet. This was really it, she was leaving, pregnant and saying goodbye to the love of her life.

"I guess I might see you after Uni."

Derek runs a hand through his disheveled hair looking guilty. "I err was actually thinking of relocating the pack, y'know, bad memories and hunters know where we are and, stuff."

"Oh, uh yeah, that makes sence, well erm, i'm gonna get going, my dad's driving me to my dorm tonight so... yeah."

Neither of them move, they both just continue to stare into eachothers eyes, Stiles' heart is fighting itself, cant decide whether it wants to pound out of its cage or tear itself to pieces, her hand wants to cradle the nonexistant bump but she pushing the need down, cant give herself away now.

Derek doesnt want her, cant want her, pup or no pup.

"Goodbye, Stiles."

Its whispered and a lot closer than he was a minute ago, there are soft moist lips against hers for a split second until she opens her eyes not remembering closing them and he's gone, leaving nothing but shadows and herself in the school parking lot.

Stiles takes a deep breath, gives her old school, her old life, one last look, before climbing into her jeep and driving away.

Seeya Beacon Hills, its been emotional but Berkely awaits.  



	6. Chapter 6

L-I-E-S

xXx

The first few months of uni were interesting to say the least.

If there's a God, and Stiles isnt so sure anymore due to all the werewolves and shit, but anyway, if there's a God then he (or she), clearly has a sick sense of humor and obviously has it out for Stiles.

The university screwed up her dorm room.

They thought Genim 'Stiles' Stilinski was a boy and wahlah! Stiles was now living in the boys dorms, sharing a double room with, yep you guessed it, a boy! How was this her life?

Now normally it wouldnt have bothered Stiles that much, after all she'd always found boys way easier to be friends with then girls, but now, now she was heartbroken and pregnant and had a life which involved freaking werewolves and of course it was just her luck that her roommate wasnt just any boy, nuhuh.

Alex 'Call Me Xander' Winchester was the living breathing embodiment of hotness.

God kill me now.

What was even more annoying was that they'd clicked like they'd known eachother for years. In three short weeks he knew things about her she'd never told anyone, not even Scott.

Xander was all golden hair and huge mocha eyes, only slightly older than Stiles at 21 even though he was in his first year like her. He had taken a gap year, well two, to travel around europe with his best friend Jackariah 'Never call him Jack, his face is too funny when you use his given name, trust me!' Dawson.  
He and Stiles were studying pretty much all the same subjects like, Myths and Folk Law and English language and literature, the only difference in their schedules being that Xander was taking music/music tech and Stiles was studying Computers. (Well studying was a loose term, she was pretty much coasting through the class considering that she could hack anything from the age of ten and probably knew more about computers than the professor did).

It was the easiest friendship Stiles had ever known, within the first four days of knowing eachother Xander was introducing her to his mates and even his mum via skype. They bonded over a joint love of super heroes, bad take away and a love for anything supernatural.

Xander was cool and chilled and prone to moments of complete lunacy that normally involved climbing things, drop kicking water dispencers or dressing up like a girl and trying to get free drinks from frat boys.

He was an absolute riot whilst still being caring and open and honest and smart.

Sometimes he was a little bit too smart and tuned in for Stiles' liking.

He saw things noone else could, noticed things other people over looked and he never did what Stiles was expecting, like for example when Lydia visited for the first time; Stiles had figured Xander would be drooling all over the red head like every other guy she'd ever known but instead he'd just asked her all about her courses and her life back home and how she'd met Stiles and if she had any embarassing stories about Stiles.

Obviously most of Lydia's answers we're edited, anything werewolf related was left out but Lydia was an amazing liar and there was no way Xander would notice.

Except, he did.

Stupid empathetic man.

"Sooo, your friend um, Lydia?"

Stiles glanced up from where she was laying on her bed reading to see Xander leaning against their doorframe, trying to look nonchaluant but failing, brown eyes wide and faux innocent.

Stiles scoffed internally, she was the Queen of Puppy Dog Eyes, compared to her Xander was an amature.

"What about her?" She asked, tilting her head to one side and sliding her book mark between the crisp white pages of Witches Of Salem.

Xander bit his lip, worrying it between perfect pearly teeth, "She errr, well, its just that, i know she was lying a lot when she was here and err, she treats you sortof weird, like you're, i dont know, fragile or something and erm..." Xander trailed off shuffling unsurely on his feet before he was suddenly crossing the room to sit right next to Stiles suprising her by taking both her hands in his.

"Ermm Xan, what are you?"

"Look,"

Uhoh, he was using his no nonsence tone, Xander was rarely serious but when he was Stiles knew better than to interrupt him.

"We've known eachother three months now and i know thats not very long and i know its none of my buisness and that i know nothing of your situation back home but i consider you one of my best mates and thats really strange for me because the only proper mate i have is Jack and ive known him for like fifteen years, the boy's practically my brother, but i feel like ive known you my whole life too and i care about you so i want you to know that im here for you and you can count on me to help in any way i can, that is if you want me too."

Stiles stared at Xander like he'd grown a second head but he just continued to sit there, holding her hands, staring her down with the strangest glint in his honey coloured eyes.

"Im, im not quite sure i know what youre talking about?" Stiles answered after a moment, her heart slapping against her rib cage like a fish out of water, shit! Why was he so insightful.

Xander's face softened and his trademark crooked smile lit up his eyes.

"You're pregnant arent you?"

Stiles winced before nodding gently, just a slight twitch of her head, how the hell did he?

Xander didnt even give her time to ask before he was answering her inner monolgue.

"Lydia treats you like something precious, and you sometimes rest your hand on your stomach with this dreamy look on your face and your dad and Lydia ring you like every night and even if you are incredibly close to people, three or four phone calls a days a little excessive unless said person is ill or dying or y'know, expecting."

He looks embarassed, his tanned cheeks flushed slightly and his hand is twitching around her own, desperate to cade through his hair in the way he always does when he's nervous.

Stiles isnt quite sure how to react. She'd never had a 'male friend' like Xander before, all her past 'relationships' with people had been straightforward with no room for doubt.

Scott was like her brother, plain and simple. They were siblings, theyd fight one day and all would be forgiven the next, theyd grown up together everything had always and would always be platonic between them.

She and Jackson had never really been mates before they were pack, their entire relationship consisted of making sarcastic comments at each other and staying well out of eachothers ways unless they were playing sports.

Derek was the only guy shed ever felt anything, romantic for, they connected in a way she hadnt known was possible, she loved him from a deep unknown place way down in her chest that noone had even come close to reaching. They orbited eachother, two people so insainly differnet that they completed eachother. She thought they were mates, meant to be together.

Xander was dangerous, he was different, they'd gotten so close in such a short amount of time. She was well on her way to loving him as a best friend but... As something more? She didnt feel for him like she did anyone else, it was completely new and that was terrifying to Stiles. Their friendship wasnt as black and white as she was used to.

"I erm, I gathered the dad isnt around because you never mention a boyfriend or anything like that and Lydia talks about certain people without using names and..." Xander suddenly looks angry for a second before he schools his features into a look of determination.

Stiles is still too shocked to speak and this has to be a record for the longest amout of time she hasnt spoken in, but everytime she thinks she has her head wrapped around Xander he goes and renders her speachless again! It must be some kind of super power, huh, if Scott and Jackson knew that Xander could make her silent they'd ask to bottle his essense or some shit and oh god Stiles focus he's still talking.

"My dad walked out on my family when i was a kid and it was so rough on my mum trying to raise me and my sister alone... I'd hate to see that happen here, i mean dont get me wrong, youre," he pauses to smile softly and Stiles is pretty sure she looks like a total moron just staring at him but seriously! "you're incredible Stiles and im sure you'll be an amazing mum but just, if you need me or want me around, i'd really like to help you... Y'know, raise this kid as a ermm, a couple?" Stiles blinks, just fucking blinks, where are her words and how can she use them?

"Oh crap! Not like this is a marriage proposal or, I mean, I errr,"

Stiles suddenly giggled, feeling slightly cracked, at the bright red spreading across his cheeks and down his throat as he started word vomiting almost as bad as Stiles normally did before putting him out of his misery.

"Thats, thats actually the nicest thing anyones ever said to me." She finally manages to choke out around her laughter.

"Wha, oh, really?" he asks big brown eyes wide and hopefull and Stiles couldnt stop the grin stretching her face if she tried.

"Yeah, erm, I have my twelve week scan this weekend, my dad and Lydia are coming with me but, if you'd like, well, you can come too? If youre serious about this i mean?"

Xander nodded enthusiastically before pulling Stiles into a hug, she grinned into his shoulder feeling giddy. The black cloud over her head was shrinking rapidly, pfft who needed Derek Hale too be happy. If Derek couldnt see a good thing when it was in front of him then that was his problem, Xander was a happy future served up on a silver plate and Stiles would be damned if she let it slip through her fingers.

"So im thinking if its a boy im naming him Jarvis."

"Okay, i'm seriously rethinking the amazing mother comment now."

"Oh shhh, you know its awesome!"

"The first thing im doing is buying you a baby name book, i swear to god!"

xXx 2 Weeks earlier xXx

"Hey Derek, i wasnt expecting to see you this week." Lydia greeted her Alpha with a grin stepping to one side to let him into her flat.

Derek surveyed her apartment, all top of the line appliances and chrome, it looked like something out of the pages of a home improvement magazine, compared to the tiny dorm room he was living in at UCLA it was a mansion.

"Yeah, well Scott and Alison have their two year anniversary this weekend and there's nothing i want to see less than those two going at it like bunnies, they both stink like theyve been rolling in pheromones."

Lydia cringed as she lead Derek through her kitchen and into the her lounge where he wasted no time in throwing himself down on her three seater leather couch with a groan.

"Ugh it should be illegal how uncomfortable dorm room beds are."

Lydia chuckled lifting Dereks head up so she could sit with his head in her lap.

His stubble was seriously close to being an actual beard, his hair was long and disheveled and he had dark circles under his eyes, in short, he looked like shit.

"You're stressed."  
It wasnt a question, out of all the wolves Lydia could sense things better than any of them sometimes even surpasing Derek, it made him think that somewhere back in her family tree there must have been wolves.

"Mmhmm."

Lydia shook her head affectionately and began to cade her fingers through his messy black hair.

"What's bothering you?"

Hazel eyes fluttered open, warily meeting blue before closing again.

"Things."

Lydia let out a huff of annoyance, cuffing his head softly.

"I know you're lying, werewolf remember? Pretty sure it was you who turned me."

Derek stayed silent his lips quirking slightly at the corners.

"Oh for gods sake Derek, I know youre missing Stiles, I know you're dying to ask how she is, i know you went straight for this sofa and not the other one because Stiles practically lived on this sofa when she was here last weekend and her scent is all over it and i know you lied when you told her she wasnt your mate."

Not a word. Not even a twitch of his eyebrows.

Lydia sighed and brushed his fringe out of his eyes.

"Whats going on with you Alpha, why are you making yourself miserable huh?" her tone was soothing as if she was talking to a child and in that moment she reminded Derek so much of Laura that his heart panged.

"She deserves better Lyds, she deserves so much better than me."

Lydia's wolf keened in her throat as she resumes combing his hair with her fingers, she couldnt stand seeing Stiles upset but her wolf could literally feel Dereks pain, wanted to do anything to make him feel better.

Lydia bit her tongue though, she'd made Stiles a promise and she wasnt gonna break it.

They sat in silence until Dereks breathing evened out signaling he was asleep.

"Silly man, you deserve Stiles more than anyone." 


	7. Chapter 7

A/N - I'm not sure if im crazy about this chapter but yeah, Review and let me know whatcha thought! Deanna :)x

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xXx 7 Months Previous xXx

It was a bad idea.

No, scratch that.

It was the worst idea Derek had ever had.

But holy shit did it feel good.

Stiles was panting, hot and wet against the thick chords of Derek's neck as he sunk every last inch of himself into her body, her sharp human finger nails scratching long deep marks into Derek's sun tanned skin, dragging him closer, deeper.

If Derek wasnt so lost in Stiles he'd be running by now.

They've been tip toeing around eachother ever since Stiles was discharged from the hospital, for a whole month they'd been sharing secret kisses and longing glances. Its been a whole month of Derek washing Stiles and changing the dressing on her wounds and cooking for her and curling his body around her as she slept, his inner wolf refusing to let go of its pack mate until she was better, refusing to let her feel alone when she was as hurt as she was.

She was his pack mate.

Shit, Stiles was Derek's mate.

The thought almost had him cumming at the first thrust, the tight heat of her already too much, already way too good. Better than anything he'd ever felt, than anything he'd ever imagened and believe me, he had imagened it A LOT, and now it was hishishis. Stiles was his and he hers, forever, all he had to do was bite her now and she would belong to him, he just had to sink his teeth into the silky smooth skin covering her collar bone, mark her as his and they'd be mated, bonded for life.

No going backs, no refunds, no get out of jail free cards.

His hips stuttered causing him to slam harder into Stiles, she arched up off of the bed, pert tits squashing against his solid chest as she cried out his name.

Stiles was beautiful; she was smart and witty and warm and cocky as shit.

The sweetest, most caring, head strong, infuriating person Derek had ever met. Ever.

Derek had had his share of relationships, he was 23 after all and definelty not a monk. Kate had been the first and by far the worst, (obviously.) he had been just a little bit yonger than Stiles, 16, the youngest of two brothers and an older sister. He wasnt a straight A student or brilliant at sport or in line to be the next alpha. He was just Laura Hale's quiet little brother who would probably be gorgeous when he was older but right now was too gangly and awkward to be anything but moderatly cute. He was always the youngest, the baby. He was never 'Derek Hale', people always refured to him as 'Oh look thats Harry's little brother' or 'Ohh, you're David's baby bro!".

He was 16 and all he wanted to be was seen.

Kate had been 23, a real women with curves and breasts and the tightest jeans he'd ever seen.

She saw Derek for way more than just someones little brother. (Technically she saw him as a tool to kill a pack of werewolves but he didnt know that at the time).

She'd hunted him down, always gave him her sexiest winks whenever she saw him on the street, would find reasons to touch him in the aisles at the kiosk.

She treated him like a man, like something special, like something she wanted, and when Kate Argent wanted something she got it.

She'd taken him out in her fancy truck and she'd stolen his virginity in the back seat, made him feel like he was important and wanted and the only person she could ever need.

But Kate was a psychopath and he refused to dwell on that mistake, the biggest mistake he'd ever made, a mistake he refused to make again.

The situation however, was a little too similar, hitting him just a little too close to home to be comfortable.

Stiles was just 17 now and Derek was pushing 23 just like Kate had been.

It wasnt like Derek was going to go batshit crazy and burn Stiles' house down with her dad inside it but, he could quite easily screw Stiles up as much as Kate had him or worse, (and more realistically) he could quite easily get her mauled (again) or god forbid, killed by another werewolf trying to get his alpha status or rogue hunters who would do anything to kill a pack.

Stiles was Dereks mate.

He was sure of it.

Derek was also Stiles' first, her only.

How could he just pressure her into being with him forever? How could she choose him when she'd never met anyone else. Had never kissed anyone else. Had never felt anything for anyone but Derek.

Stiles had to live first, she had to experence new things, decide what she wanted to do and where and for how long before she decided to settled with him, settle for him.

Settled for a unemployed, orphaned, murdering, alpha werewolf who rarely found it in himself to smile or laugh or enjoy the moment. A broken shell of a man who couldnt freely show or tell her how much he loves her and would probably end up getting her killed or turned. He was dangerous to be invovled with.

Stiles and he were a ticking timebomb that Derek was certain would end painfully.

"Derek!"

Stiles' whimper shot lightning down his spine bringing him back to reality, she was close to coming undone if the noises she was making were any idication. Her ivory skin shining with sweat and precum, she looked breathtaking all spread out and whanton and his.

17 and naive, inexperianced, desperate for attention.

She was still too young for this.

Derek squeezed his eyes closed, pressed an open mouth kiss to her throat as she slipped over the edge, screaming his name through her orgasm.

Derek held her as tightly as he could, buried deep in the heart of her as he released, his inner wolf howling in pleasure.

God, Stiles was all he could feel, could see, could taste, could touch, could think about. She was everywhere, in everything.

xXx

A little while later, once they'd caught their breath and Stiles was all warmth and dopey smiles and pliant in Dereks arms, Stiles shuffled up his body to tuck herself under his chin before pressing plump pink lips to the hollow of his throat.

"Love you." she murmered, still high on her orgasm, before her heartbeat leveled out and slumber took her away.

Derek lay staring at his ceiling, heart thumping in his chest, his inner wolf was clawing at his conscious begging to claim and mate and havehavehave. He pushed back the instinct, his mind made up.

Stiles was already in too deep with him. He needed to set her free to grow and live and make the most of her potential before they got together.

Derek couldnt hold her back, would hate himself if he was the reason she stayed in this shit hole of a town, working as a supermarket clerk for her entire life until she began to resent Derek for making her stay and waste to nothing in the ass end ofnowhere. But dear god did he want to, wanted so bad to wrap her up in his arms and never let go, keep her with him, close to his chest, for him and noone else, it was selfish and sinful but it made his insides knot and squirm with want. He wanted to chain her to him so she could never leave.

No, no Derek couldnt do that too her, couldnt risk that happening to Stiles.

He had to do what was best for her, and right now that just wasnt him.

She deserved to be alive and happy, live a normal life that wouldnt end in bloodshed.

Derek took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the scent of orange blossoms and chocolate and coffee and home.

"I love you too Stiles. Enough to let you go."

xXx

It was curled in the circle of Derek's arms straight after their first time that Stiles realized she was in too deep.

It was near dawn and Derek was fast asleep next to her, under her, around her. Her chest felt like a balloon too full of air right before it explodes.

Stiles wasnt one of those girls who mooned after guys and cried herself to sleep because a guy didnt like her in 'that way'. Stiles was strong and independant, her dad had raised her to always hold her head up high even when she was hurting.

She refused to fall in love with someone who couldnt love her back.

Refused to love Derek when he'd never love her in return.

She wouldnt be one of 'those' girls.

This, whatever it was between them, would end because it was Derek Fucking Hale and why on earth would he settle for Stiles of all people, even if it is her that he speaks to and smiles at and nursed back to health. People like Derek didnt date people like Stiles. She'd seen enough films to know that that wasnt how it worked.

Nope, Stiles was never going to fall for Derek.

xXx 2 1/2 months later xXx

Fuck.

Stiles had done exactly what she'd sworn not too.

She'd fallen for him.

She'd fallen tits over arse for him.

She'd tripped-and-crashed-her-way-down-the-side-of-a-freaking-mountain sort of fallen for him.

And Derek... Well, if Stiles didnt know any better, she'd say he had fallen for her too and maybe, Stiles must have hit her head to even consider it but, maybe just maybe, they might be mates. Werewolf mates, as in together forever till death do us part mates.

She'd over heard Jackson and Scott talking about how werewolves having mates was an actual thing and had then proceded to spend all night, and way too much adderall, surfing the net reading anything she could possibly find that spoke about wolves and their mating patterns. (FYI, a lot of sick people have a lot of strange kinks *shudder*).

She didnt dare ask Derek but, as far as she could tell, thats exactly what they were; mates. Just like Scott and Allison were, just minus all the PDA and sickening cuteness, which meant that maybe, just maybe, if things went Stiles' way for once in her pathetic werewolf infected life, something good might finally happen and she could be with Derek the way she wanted to. The whole happily ever after shit that she hadnt realized she'd craved and crap when did she become 'that girl'?

Stiles fell asleep that night with her fingers crossed tight and an adderall fueled brain full of disney princesses that looked vaguely like her and surely princes with too much facial hair because seriously, it wasnt that much to ask for was it? To be happy?

xXx Present Day xXx

Stiles, her dad Harry, Lydia and Xander were all out for a celebratory meal at a chinese resaurant after Stiles' 12 week scan.

Her baby is tiny and perfect and completely healthy inside her slightly swollen belly, with all ten fingers and toes and eyes and ears in the right places. The baby even wiggled around and clenched its teenyweeny fists during the ultrasound. It was safe to say that here wasnt a dry eye in the house.

Lydia was srill buzzing over the fact the she could hear the baby's heart beat constantly now, a strong, steady beating, just like Stiles' and was now even more protective, if that is even possible.

The sheriff had yet to put the sonogram down for more than five minutes, he just kept tearing up and pulling Stiles' into a hug, muttering about not being able to wait and how the baby would call him Pops or Grandaddy but definetly not Gramps.

Xander hadnt let go of Stiles' hand all day, his thumb brushing reasuringly across her knuckles the moment she started to freak out even a little bit. He was very quickly becoming her rock, he made her feel safe and grounded in the same kind of way that Derek had made her feel 1000 feet off of the floor whilst simultaniously being dragged along by a ferocious torrent of water.

Stiles pushed all thoughts of Derek to the back of her mind, squeezing Xanders hand to get his attention away from the scan her dad was holding and back to her.

Warm chocolately brown eyes met hers and made her melt, "Whats up love?" he asked grinning wider than should be possible, he was as excited as if the child was his, which Stiles thought was probably going to be true if they carried on this way.

The thought had her flushing scarlet.

"Thank you, for y'know, everything. Like driving us there and letting me borrow your sweater and for taking me to see the Avengers last month because ive been dying to see that and im definetly getting my baby a tshirt that says 'Xander is Awesome' on it because you are and what are you laughing at?"

Xanders grin was blinding as he slowly shook his head before leaning down and capturing Stiles' lips in the sofest kisses succeeding in shutting her up before pulling back just as quickly as he'd started, leaving Stiles speachless.

"Thank you for letting me in."

Stiles' didnt need to be a werewolf to hear her heart skip as they continued to gaze at eachother.

"I'm gonna go get a drink from the bar, anyone want anything?" the sheriff annouced effectively ruining the moment. Xander chuckled awkwardly, letting go of Stiles' hand to cade his fingers through his unruly brown hair, "Yeah, i'll help, same again girls?" Lydia and Stiles nodded in unison as the two guys left the table, the younger of which now sporting a spring to his step.

"OH MY GOD STILES I THOUGHT YOU WERE JUST FRIENDS!" Lydia whisper shouted, green eyes wide in shock.

"So did I!"

Stiles internally freaking out, she felt hot all over and, she dropped her hand to the tiny bump of her stomach, she had a weird feeling in her gut.

Did this mean Xander wanted them to be a proper couple? Go out on dates and for meals and meet eachothers families and.. Holy shit they were already dating! How hadnt she noticed and oh. OH!

"Ooh, that was weird!" Stiles annouced jumping slightly in her seat.

"What, what is it? Whats wrong?" Lydia asked worry lighting her eyes as her hands fluttered around Stiles uselessly.

"It doesnt hurt it just feels funny. Like the baby is sortof, wiggling or something, it feels really wierd. Good but weird," Stiles felt the grin stretching her lips and giggled exuberantly, "Holy shit I'm gonna be a mum!"

Lydia let out a huge sigh, "Yeah you really are." she agrees, relaxing her muscles to pull back her paniced wolf and smiling softly before cradeling Stiles' stomach with her own hand.

They're silent for a moment, both content to just sit and feel the baby moving underneath their hands, whilst the guys que for more drinks.

Lydia is the first to break the silence and its totally not what Stiles' was expecting to hear.

"You dont smell like the pack anymore y'know." her words are thoughtful and staggered, as if she weighed every one of them before they left her lips.

Stiles' eyes widened as she stared her best friend down, unwilling to admit how much that upset her, how much she hated the idea of not being pack anymore even though she was moving on, hadnt really been bothering to keep up with the pack except Lydia and the occasional phone call or email to Scott.

"Dont get me wrong I mean you still smell like you; orange blossoms and like chocolate and coffee and of course there's hints of your dad too and books and ink and this underlining scent of Derek but its so faint, its in the baby its not on your skin, and me, you smell like me as if i was your alpha, but mostly, mostly you smell like Xander, like vanilla and mint and leather jackets left out in the sun." Lydia paused briefly, reached up and pushed a loose lock of Stiles' hair behind her ear in a movement that maked Stiles think of Derek, graceful but careful as if he had to focus on not using all his strength.

"I cant help but wonder if this is what you really want."

Its said so quietly Stiles wondered if Lydia even meant for her to hear it but then Xander and her Dad are back and chuckling over some joke both girls missed and Xanders threading his fingers through hers and pressing his lips to the back of her hand and Stiles cant think past his beautiful eyes looking at her as if she is the only thing he can see and yeah, maybe theres a huge Derek shaped hole right next to the one her mum left in her chest and yeah, perhaps she misses the pack way more than she lets on but, she could be happy here, maybe not whole and maybe not head over heels in love but happy all the same. She could have the normal, safe, functional family she'd always craved and after all the shit the first 19 years of her life had been filled with well, she deserved that at least, didnt she?  



	8. Chapter 8

Stiles was running, sprinting faster than she thought possible,the forest wizzing by her in a blur.  
Teeth, no, not teeth - fangs, gnashing at her ankles as she pushed on, her legs burning and her breath coming in thick wet gasps.  
She couldnt keep this up, they were going to get her.  
A deep growl causes the forest to vibrate.  
Bright, bright red eyes, getting closer and closer, gliding towards her from the darkness.  
Teeth sharp as knives take out her ankle. Stiles screams, lashing out with her damaged foot at the beast behind her as she hurtles to the floor, the forest tearing at her naked skin. Theres a little boy watching her from the shadows, he's crying, hand stretched out towards her, "Mummy!"  
The eyes get closer, a gigantic black wolf casts her into darkness, she sighs, relieved; Derek.  
He throws back his head and shakes her bones with his roar before pouncing, the beast jumps at the same time, two monsterous forms meeting in mid air, the little boy keeps crying...

"STILES! Stiles wake up! Its just a dream! Wake up!"

Stiles jumps awake to Xander's paniced gaze, his whole body sags with relief as brown eyes meet gold.

"Oh thank god, you were screaming bloody murder!"

Stiles smiled weakly, pushing her self into a sitting posistion. She was still on their dormroom couch, X-files paused on the telly with Xander curled around her like a blanket, there was no giant beast or screaming child or Derek, she was safe with Xander.

"Huh, I didnt realize I fell asleep," she replies, mind still foggy with sleep. Xander's smile is soft and warm as he pulls her to lay on his chest, Stiles instictively presses her ear right over his heart relaxing into the steady beat of it. Her's is beating too fast, and theres a sheen of cold sweat stuck to her skin, still shook up from her dream.

"This whole pregnancy thing is really taking it out of me," she half lies, forcing a little giggle her hand resting protectively on her now extremely obvious bump.  
Out of nowhere the baby kicks making Stiles jump.

"OHHOLYHELL! Xander he or she kicked! The baby! Oh my god, give me your hand!" Stiles is literally buzzing with excitment as she grabs Xanders left hand and holds it to where her baby had kicked moments before.

Nothing happens for a few minutes causing Stiles to pout at her swollen stomach. "Oh come on! Dont be shy! Its just Xander, hes gonna be your second favourite person after me when youre born! We'll keep it a secret so Auntie Lydia doesnt get jealous! He'll buy you presents and teach you how to pick up chicks or boys depending on what youre into! And..."

Stiles grinned as she felt the tiniest amount of pressure on the inside of her stomach that caused Xander to jump before his handsome face was invaded by the biggest most blinding smile Stiles had ever seen.

"Oh my god Stiles! That! He! She! Ahaha! That's so amazing!" There were no words. The two normally hyperactive teens (well one teen and one 21 year old) were rendered completely speechless as they grinned at each other like crazy people and then Xander was leaning closer and so was Stiles and ... Soft lips met for the second time, slow and coaxing. Stiles leant further into his touch, bringing her hands up to curl into his hair, Xander's hands cupping her face as if she was the single most precious thing in his world.

The kiss was warm and comfortable, like putting on your favourite pjs and cuddling up with hot cocoa in front of the fire. Stiles felt safe and cared for, she knew without a doubt that Xander would look after her, would love her.

Flashes of hot heavy touches and bare skin slamming against walls and sharp teeth scratching down thoats and rough stubble leaving burning trails across hips sprang unwarrented to Stiles mind causing her to pull away from Xander, panting softly her, heart beating uneven in her chest.

Xander blushed pale pink and dragged a hand through his caramel coloured hair bashfully.

"Sorry, I erm, since that time at the restaurant I've wanted to do that again and it felt like the perfect moment too... well y'know."

Stiles grinned over her internal freak out.

She liked Xander, he was cool and funny and thoughtful and smart and gorgeous and he made her feel safe and happy. He never had uncalled for mood swings or fits of rage and he wasnt emotionally constipated, he could actually talk about things and he always told her how he felt about something, wasnt afriad to share the inside of his head.  
They loved the same music and films and tv shows and forgodssake he played Zelda with her and they made pillow forts and ate candy for dinner when they couldnt be bothered to cook.

Xander was everything Stiles had ever wanted in a man.

Except.

Except, Xander wasnt Derek, and yeah Stiles knew there hadnt been a 'them' for over six months now but, they'd been 'together' for almost a year and she was carrying his little werewolf baby and he didnt even know and she wasnt over him no matter how much she lied and drowned her sorrows in old school Sci-Fi movies and her new whateverXanderwas. She still felt sick everytime she thought about the fact she wasnt Derek's mate and that he didnt want to be with her so badly that he was even willing to move the pack from Beacon Hills and he didnt even tell her where or mention that she was invited to join them.

Stiles' smile slipped from her lips as she slid deeper into her own thoughts.

How did this become her life? Seriously! When did everything decide that it would fuck up and fall apart just for kicks. Why did she have to live in a world where werewolves exist and she's in love with one and preganant whilst sortof dating someone else but not at the same time and oh shit Stiles breathe! This is so not the time for a panic attack.

"Stiles, sweetie are you okay?" Xander asked, worry evident on his beautiful face and goddammit it was so unfair how gorgeous he was and how she would probably never be able to love him in the way he deserved and did that make her no better then Derek considering it was sort of the same situation and he'd let her go? Oh shit, oh fuck, deep breaths Stiles, stress is bad on the baby, in and out, woosahh.

"I ermm, I..." The words lodge in her throat, she doesnt know what to say or what she needs to to make this right, to dissolve the phantom hand squeezing her chest making every breath a struggle.

Xanders expression softens but there's anger in his honey eyes as he pulls her to his chest, cuddles her until the shaking in her bones diminished and crap, she hadnt even noticed she was doing it.

"What happen Stiles?" Xander asks, fingers brushing through her hair calming her, Stiles feels her entire body go lax as she gives into the warmth of him. "Who made you into this? Who fucked you up like this cause i wanna find him and beat him up with my mad ninja skills."

The laugh that escapes Stiles' throat is a little bit hyterical but it breaks the tension a bit, slows her heart beat. Xander is with her and he'll keep her safe.

She takes a deep breath, exhaling slowly before starting to speak, a little unsurely.

"His names Derek... he's the, y'know, the father of my baby." Ugh and how hard is it to say aloud. The absent father of her unborn child who doesnt want her. God, how pathetic.

Xander stays silent, letting Stiles speak on her own time, listening intently and thats why he's perfect, thats why he should be the one Stiles is in love with, but, he's not and as much as Stiles isnt a werewolf, she knows Derek's her 'mate' even if she isnt his. Fucking supernatural shit ruining everything, gah life was so much easier when her biggest problem was whether Scott would turn up for school so she didnt have to eat lunch alone.

"I got into an accident last year, it was really bad, I mean, you've seen the scars on my, er everywhere," Stiles paused and felt Xander nodding against the back of her head.

They'd gone swimming in a creek with Lydia and Jack one day at the beginning of the semester and although he hadnt said anything it was pretty damn hard to miss scars like hers that decorated her entire body and were still bright pink, not yet faded icy white with time.

She clears her throat and continues, "The guy that got me to the hospital and fixed me up was Derek, he sortof runs a gang and shit that sounds so much worse than it actually is I mean he doesnt steal and beat people up or anything its more like a club I suppose for ermm, misfits? He looked after my best mate Scott when he was going through some shit and Lydia lived with him for a while. But anyways, my dad obviously had to work and I needed around the clock care and as all my mates were still at school Derek offered to look after me and we ended up getting really close..."

The 'and then we had sex multiple times on multiple surfaces' goes unspoken but Xanders a smart guy and the baby in Stiles' belly is a massive freaking neon sign in itself. Stiles shifts a little uncomfortably in Xanders arms but his hold doesnt loosen, he's apparently really good at the whole comforting thing and huh thats nice to know.

"It was great for a few months, hell, even my dad liked him and that was a first considering he'd arrested Derek on suspiscion of murder a few months earlier,"  
Xander made a weird high pitch noise somwhere between a gasp and a shout that had Stiles' eyes widening as she realized what shed said and tugged out of his arms to face him.  
"He didnt do it! Oh my god Im making him sound like a sereal killer and he isnt I swear he just, his whole family died in a fire at his family home when he was 15 and he and his sister moved away but then they moved back almost two years ago and Laura, Derek's sister, was murdered and naturally they blamed Derek as he was the only one who knew her but it was actually their uncle!" Stiles pushed her hair back from her face before mussing up the hair at the back of her head. "This is so not going the way i planned," she muttered under her breath.

Xander looked like he wanted to both hug and shake some sence into her. To his defence he did neither and instead managed to say; "Now I know why you left Beacon Hills."

Stiles' stomach dropped at the harmless comment and Xander instantly knew he'd said something wrong.

"Ahh, Im guessing i dont know the real reason, god im such an idiot!" he stressed, letting his head fall back against the wall the sofa was pressed against with a thunk. Stiles giggled softly, sliding a hand around the back of his neck to make him face her.

"No youre not Xan, youre amazing, trust me! And he's not as bad as im making out its just, well, Derek's a broken mess of a man. His whole family was murdered, all of them. People didnt care about that though because he's stunning to look at, a real life poster boy for tall dark and handsome especially with the whole mysterious vibe he had going on. I was one of the first people that liked him because of who he was, i mean the wrapping paper was great but, im more of a substance kind of girl y'now?" Xander smiled softly and swiped his thumb across her cheek bone causing her to blush and really he treats her better than she probably deserves but its nice. She really doesnt want to lose whatever weird thing they've built.

"Derek, he doesnt know how to use his words to say how he feels, he just snaps or storms off and expects you to understand what he means... It was around the time that I got better that it fell apart, he was still pretty much living at my house with me and my dad, coming for dinner like every night and talking sports with my dad and erm hanging out with me. We weren't officially 'together' but i sure as hell wasnt dating anyone on the side and i knew for a fact he wasnt, so i couldnt understand why were didnt just get together and so i, occasionally made the odd offhand comment that maybe we should just start dating properly and everytime i did he'd fly off the handle." Stiles' face adopts a scowly frown, mirroring Dereks that makes Xander laugh before she impersonates Dereks growly voice.

"I'm too old for you Stiles you have your entire life to live why do you need a relationship! I'm dangerous you could get hurt!" Youre not my mate. "You'r dad is the Sheriff what would he say? Dont be a stupid little girl we would never work blahblahgrowlblah, and then hed storm off dramatically. He'd come climbing through my bedroom through my window a few hours later though and just sleep in my bed, cuddling me and whispering stuff like 'Im so sorry' and 'I love you' into my skin when he thought i was sleeping. I thought he was telling the truth in those moments but, obviously i was wrong."  
Stiles meets Xanders eyes with steel determination in her own, she wasnt gonna cry telling this story, she wasnt that kind of girl. Xander smiled softly taking her hands in his lending her his strength, freaking mind reading genie of awesome.

"It was three weeks before graduation that we finally called it quits, we had the biggest argument we've ever had and it ended in him telling me to, and i quote, 'Leave Beacon Hills after graduation, you need to leave before you get hurt so bad you cant be fixed.'" Stiles threw up her arms in agitation, it was a little bit brilliant telling her side of the story to someone that didnt know Derek, that wasnt honor bound to their alpha.

"I mean what kind of shit, cowardly line is that, fucking prick, as if im some damsel in distress, ugh anyways, three weeks later i found out i was pregnant and moved here and met the best thing i could have possibly found."

The last sentence causes Xander to grin bright and radiant before suprising Stiles by pulling her into another kiss that makes her smile and melt.

He pulls away too quick and his expression going serious as he holds her face gently in his hands, "I know you dont want to and personally i think this guy sounds like a colossal twat but, you should tell him about the baby that we are definetly not calling Jarvis, I mean it is his by blood and he should know about it, i know i would want to know if one of my ex's had my baby."

Stiles thinks about it for a moment, images of glowing red eyes and snarling fill her head before theyre replaced by Scott and Alison cooing over her swollen stomach and Jackson actually smiling, real and honest and being able to go and see her dad without worrying that people will notice she preggers and that Derek might overhear the gossip. All the stress of keeping it a secret would be gone, and Derek, Derek would have to deal with her being the mother of his pup, holyshitthatsaweirdthought, if he didnt want her then fine, screw him, she had Xander and whatever was going on between them, but Xander was right, Derek had the rite to know he was a dad. Stiles wasnt going to take that away from him just because she was scared to face the guy that had broken, shattered, her heart.

"Okay fine, we have half term next week," she pauses and snuggles up into the circle of Xanders arms, "How do you fancy a trip to Beacon hills?" Stiles giggles as she hears Xanders heart beat pick up in his chest.

"How big is Derek exactly?" he asks nervously before they both dissolve into laughter and yes, Stiles can deal with this, can deal with her past and Derek and being pregnant because she has Xander and her dad and Lydia and soon she'll have a daughter or a son wholl be amazing and beautiful and hers. Derek and Xander can play their parts however they decide but Stiles wont be alone, will never be alone because she'll have a kid and her dad. She could do this. She didnt have to be afraid anymore.

Her phone ringing brings her out of her thoughts and she has to climb off of the sofa to grab it from her bedside table, sucking in a breath as the screen flashes with Dereks name.

"Huh, speak of the devil and he appears!" She jokes face twisted in confusion, making Xanders eyes bug adorably out of his face, Stiles pushes down the panic as she flips her phone open expecting to hear Dereks gravely tones.  
Its not Derek's voice she hears though, Its Scotts.

"STILES? Stiles is that you?" Scotts voice is frantic, higher in pitch than normal, he's more then scared, he's terrified, something is seriously wrong.

"Yeah Scott its me, calm down okay, tell me whats wrong?" Xander's on his feet and across the room in an instant, winding his arms around her waist.

"Its, Its Derek. Shit Stiles you have to come back to Beacon Hills like RIGHTNOW! Oh god!"

"Scott! SCOTT! Whats wrong i cant help if i dont know whats happened?" Stiles is clutching the phone so tight shes afraid its gonna break, she tries to focus on Xanders breathing but shes never heard Scott so upset.

Scott takes a deep shuddering breath that sends ice triciling down Stiles' spine.

"Its Derek, Stiles. He's Dying."

.

.  
.

to be continued! Btw, if anyone has any suggestions of baby names and/or the gender please leave me a message and let me know! Thanks for reading! Much love 3 


	9. Chapter 9

Derek gripped at Scotts neck, his eyes flickering from neon red to glowing blue to their natural hazel, he was bleeding everywhere, too much of it slicking his hands and clothes and the sheriffs kitchen floor. His wounds just wouldnt heal!  
What the fuck had those arrows been coated in.  
A twisting in his gut and a sudden wave of nausia sends black goo out from his stomach and splattering onto the floor next to him. He makes a mental note to pay for a proper cleaner for Harry.

Scott grimices and tries to help Derek to his feet but his bodys too heavy, even for his beta to lift. He's dead weight. Huh, dead. He was dying, they didnt know the cure and he was dying. Derek closes his eyes tring to stop the burning in them but to no result, tugs Scott down closer to him so he can whisper his last request, the darkness is getting too much, clouding his vision, weighing down his bones.

"Scott, Scott, please, Stiles, I need to see her, cant die without seeing..." another bone wracking cough and the darkness takes over. Derek falls into unconsiousness with the paniced sounds of Scott yelling at someone echoing around his skull.

He hopes he can stay alive long enough to see if Scott listens to him for once.

He hopes he can stay alive long enough for Stiles to come.

Stiles...

xXx 24 hours earlier xXx

Derek perched on the banister of his newly fixed up front porch with a happy grin, watching as Jackson and Lydia fought over who got to carry the blankets and who had to carry the picnic basket whilst Scott and Allison chased eachother around the house after Scott had cracked some feminist joke that Alison hadnt really taken offense too but, hey a girl had to keep up appearances.  
Everyone was in high spirits for a change. Laughing and playing and making a mess in his kitchen.  
It was the first full moon theyd had over a weekend in months and they be damned if they weren't gonna take advantage of it. Lydia had planned the whole weekend for them, from a picnic in the woods on Friday afternoon to a film day at Dereks newly renovated house on Sunday as they'd be too shattered from the full moon run Saturday night to do anything other then eat and lounge around, vegitate werewolf style.

It was the first time Derek had felt properly happy since he'd dumped Stiles almost six months ago. Sure there was a Stiles shaped hole in the pack but he was getting better at ignoring it, well kindof. According to Lydia Stiles was well, doing well at school and making friends, as long as he knew she was happy, he could attempt to be too.

It wasnt as hard to pretend to be happy today though, because today the sun was shining, his pack, save Stiles, was all home and safe; they finally had a solid treaty with the Argents and an entire weekened to bond and have fun and be a family.  
It was exactly what Derek needed.

So obviously, it all went tits up.

xXx Saturday Night, Full Moon xXx

The moon was high and bright and beautifully regal in the night sky, illuminating the forest around the Hale property like pearly daylight.  
The pack were playing chase near the lake, yipping and howling playfully, as they ran around fully wolfed out.  
Lydia caught Derek unawares and they tumbled down a grassy hill in a pile of fur barking out werewolfy, yes thats a word shh, laughter as they went.

Scott was balanced on a low hanging tree branch ready to pounce on his alpha when Jackson barrled into his side starting an impromtu wrestling match that soon caught Lydia's attention starting a rather rough puppy pile up that had Dereks tounge lolling out of his snout in a wolf like grin. He flopped back on his haunches to watch his pack before throwing his head back and howling happily at the moon quickly followed by his betas, each one howling out their thank you's for their pack, their family.

The first arrow came out of nowhere, soared silently through the air before lodging itself into Dereks flank ripping a furious roar from the alpha's throat.  
The pack instantly went on the defense, hackles raised as they formed a crude semi-circle around their injured leader. A second arrow flew through the night missing Jacksons shoulder by a millimeter.  
Derek let out another howl, RUN! and the betas fled in every direction, they all knew their safe place was the Stilinski household, they just had to make it there alive.

Derek tore the arrow from his side before dropping onto all fours and sprinting in the direction it came from.

Fucking hunters attacking on his own land whilst his pack did nothing to harm anyone, hell he'd rip their pathetic throats out and dance in the rain of their blood.

He spotted another arrow out of his peripheral vision and managed to dodge it putting himself in prime position for an arrow fired by a second hunter to hit his shoulder going so deep the point stuck out of his back. It hit with enough force to send Derek a few feet behind where he'd been seconds before, he howled in outrage but it was cut short as a third arrow slammed into his upper thigh. His vision swam for a moment and when he came too he was in his beta form and Jackson was tugging him to his feet.

"Quick, hurry up Derek now is not the time for a nap oh holy shit!" Jackson dodged the arrow aimed for his head just in time, spared a second to growl at the hunters that had finally showed themselves, before going back to helping Derek.

Derek followed his glance to find four non descript humans all carrying cross bows and guns, twisted grins lighting up their faces. None of them were the leader, just four nameless grunts sent to take out the alpha, or maybe just to size up the pack. They werent Argents as Argents lived by the code, these were rouges. Dangerous, crazy, weapon weilding rouges.

Derek struggles to his feet leaning heavily on Jackson.

"Who are you and what do you want? This is Hale land you have no rite to be here."  
He pretty much growled, feeling way too threatened and feral to be calm, his limbs felt oddly weak and he hoped to god the arrows werent laced with wolfbane, only Stiles had the remedy and she now lived hours away.

"We're the Tannin's. You may have heard of us." Runt number three annouced smugly, flicking the saftey off of his gun and aiming it straight at Derek.

Derek's blood ran cold. If the Argents were royalty in the hunting world then the Tannin's were gods, they'd wiped out hundreds of packs since their ancestors began hunting in the 1800's. The rumor was they'd made deals with the devil, a whole blood line of not quite human hunters; stronger, faster. Deadly. They were the horror stories werewolves were told when they were kids.

Monsters.

Even if these four hunters were just soilders and not actual Tannins they were in deep trouble.

Derek almost chocked on his breath, "Jackson, run, RUN!"

Too late, the nameless runt pulled the trigger with an menacing chuckle but Derek was slightly quicker, took the bullet in the squishy flesh under his ribs instead of between the eyes. Jackson ran but not in the direction Derek had meant, instead he hurled himself at the nearest hunter tearing out his throat before he could raise his cross bow in defense and then suddenly Lydia and Scott where there too tearing into the others, marking their territory with the blood of their enemies.

Dereks proud howl made the forest shudder as the last hunter, the one who had shot him, was held down by his three betas, bloody and beaten but alive.

"Tie him up and bring him with us, we need to know what was coating those arrows."  
Scott, Lydia and Jackson all nodded their agreement and dragged the hunter to his unsteady feet, hands tied behind his back as well as his ankles.

"Ugh shit!"

A spasm of pain had Derek collapsing to the forest floor, his eyes rolling back into his head, there was fire in his veins, ten times worse than when Kate had shot him with wolfsbane, this was, this was a whole new chapter of torture. Lydia was by his side in an instant hands fluttering over his wounds but his world was spinning too quickly for him to focus properly. Crap this was bad. He felt like a live wire, 10,000 volts powering through his system had nothing on this.

"Shit, lets get him to the Sheriffs house, put that piece of scum in the laundry room... Make him talk Scott." Derek managed a small smile through his confusion, Lydia was his second in commaned for a reason, she was freaking terrifying. "Jackson help me get Derek to your car."

Derek groaned as Jackson tried to pick him up jolsting his wounds.

"Why isnt he healing!"

Lydia picked up an arrow from a fallen hunters quiver, bringing the tip to her nose and sniffing before dropping it and clutching at her throat.

"Ugh oh shit, theres definelty wolfsbane on it but theres something else too." The pack froze and Scott smashed his fist down on the captured hunters face as he grinned all smug and bloody teeth, effectively knocking him out. Derek's back arched and he screamed into the night gripping at Jacksons chest with human hands.  
Lydia looked more terrified than anyone had ever seen her.

"Scott, i think we need Stiles."

xXx

"Okay, right! I need the bag from under my bed and clothes and that book of lore i lent you and my vitamins and that wooden box with the french carvings on it and pregnacy shizzle and"

"You need to breath Stiles!" Xander exclaimed grabbing hold of her shoulders and making her stop pacing.

Stiles took a few deep breaths like the doctor had taught her when her mum died, she was on the edge of a panic attack and that would be very bad for her baby. Oh shit her baby, Derek was dying and he didnt even know about his kid and and and...

"Shh honey, Calm down, sit on the bed and ill pack just, just relax okay, tell me whats wrong."

Stiles nodded and flopped into the computer chair pushing her hair out of her eyes and trying to steady her breathing.

She had to tell Xander about the werewolves or this wouldnt make any sence, shit Derek was gonna kill her, or well more so then he probably would do but he couldnt because he was dying.  
Oh shit oh shit oh shit.

"Stiles?"

Right, explaining, to Xander, about werewolves. Fuck.

"Ermm, so my best freinds, Lydia, Scott, Jackson and err, ive told you about Derek." Stiles paused and Xander turned around from where he was packing her clothes nodding at her to continue.

"They sortof might kindof be y'know... not human?"

The baby book Xander was about to pack in her bag slipped from his grasp and hit the floor making Stiles jump slightly before his hands curled into fists.

"What, what do you mean?" And woah, that didnt even sound like Xander as he span to face her, honey brown eyes alight with something that looked primal, hungry. Stiles gulped, he almost looked like a... "Werewolves?" she whispered, hands dropping to circle her stomach.

Xander let out an almost growl and mashed his hands through his hair.

"As if! How the fuck do i always get in these situations! FUCK! and the baby is gonna be? oh great! Fucking brilliant!"

Stiles watched Xander with wide eyes, her brain fighting to focus on just one thing for a change, just this one time so she can figure out whats going on.

"You know?" she managed to say, quiet and soft and totally unlike Stiles.  
Xander freezes, reigns himself in and Stiles is reminded of Scott when he slips from Beta into Human, except, Xander is completely human... right?  
Xanders eyes turn soft and he's infront of her in an instant cradeling her face in that gentle way of his that makes her feel warm and safe.

"Yes, I know, just, I cant believe youre involved with them I..." He paused took a deep breath and started again. "You know how i said my dad walked out on my mum when i was little?"  
Stiles nods "Okay. He was a hunter. My mum, like me, believes in free rights for all species. If theyre innocent, why hurt them? My dad however, well he takes a different approach, he and his... Hunter friends," he spits the word like venom, has to take a moment to calm down again, "Monsters is more like it, they kill on sight, they teamed up with some other hunters when i was about 15, they asked me to join them but i refused , they wiped out an entire pack that night, werewolves and human alike, just, poof." he makes an explosion movement with his hands, his eyes look old and tired in a way Stiles had never seen on him, in the way she knows hers look sometimes. "Ive seen him a few times since, he kept going on about how it was my birth rite to fight, every time ive seen him ive just walked away, all those innocent lives, how can you forgive something like that?" He meets Stiles eyes and she understands, she gets it, rubs her thumb across his cheek bone. "Ive met werewolves, had my suspicions about Lydia if im honest, and if they're in trouble, i can help."

Stiles nods and sends him a tight smile. Shes struggling to focus over the mantra of DerekDerekDerek thats spinning in her mind like a crack taking merigoround.

"My pack, i mean Derek's pack, were out messing in the woods, full moon and all that, Derek's family own a lot of acres so they only go out in their territory, they never hurt anyone, never. Apparently some rogue hunters attacked them, Dereks hurt really bad, they have one of the hunters in custody but their arrows were poisoned, ive got the remedy for wolfsbane but if its anything else... He's dying Xan, if i cant help him i at least need to be there with him, he's..." Stiles breaks off as a sob wracks her body. Xander pulls her to his chest petting at her hair.

"You love him Stiles, i get it. Dont worry, we'll save him."

xXx 


	10. Chapter 10

When Derek comes too hes no longer in the Stilinski kitchen, instead hes hauled up in Stiles room, swathed in blankets that carry her scent and make him dizzy, its almost enough to imagen shes there, holding his hand and smiling bright with love in her eyes, for him. Only for him.

She's not there though, even if she was coming he knows he hasnt been unconsious long enough for her to get there from Berekly. He could wait it out long enough to see her, just to see his beautiful mate and apologize, spill his unworthy heart on the floor at her feet.

Ughh god, everything hurts, sharp and pulsing and clouding his brain, he feels full of lead and razor blades whiping around his veins like a tornado.

The darkness is nice.

It makes him feel numb and floaty and like he's no where near his body, watching himself on the big screen at the cinema.

The darkness is better then reality at the moment.

Stiles is in the darkness.

xXx

Derek can remember the first time he ever laid eyes on her.

He was 11 and walking home from school with his big brother Harry when he spotted a little kid with a short brown bob and plasters on both of her knees half way up a sycamore tree, tiny fingers reaching for a tiny ball of black fur that was perched on a slightly higher branch, totally uninterested in the kid trying to reach it.

"Yo, Little Gemin be careful up there! Your mum will have a fit if you fall and hurt yourself!" Harry had yelled from where they stood on the path making Derek jump.

The little girl, Gemin, (and what the hell kind of name is that?) span to face them, her foot slipping and for a split second Derek thinks shes going to fall but instead she slides down the tree trunk like a skateboarder on a rail and lands perfectly on her sneaker clad feet.

"Hey you know me H-dawg, Im like a cat, I always land on my feet!"

Harry had thrown back his head and cracked up at that and even stoic baby Derek let a grin slip onto his face.

Gemin grinned, her front two teeth missing before wiping her muddy hands down the blue dugarees she was wearing smudging brown muck down them.

"I better go, the kitty doesnt like me but i'll get him one day, bye Harry, bye Derek!"

Dereks eyes buldged out of his head as the little girl ran to her font door and into her house waving at them the whole time. She didnt call him Harrys little brother or one of the Hale kids, she actuall called him by his name! Derek couldnt look away from where she vanished.

"Come on lil bro," Harry annouced slapping a hand down on Dereks shoulder with a fond smile, "Mum's making your favourite for tea."

xXx

The memory faded and the scene changed, colours swirling in Dereks head until he sees himself in the woods behind the Hale house shifted into his beta form, Stiles is coward against a tree at his back, under his protection whilt Scotts a few feet away hissing and growling and desperate to rip Stiles' throat out just like the Alpha wants.

The thought has Dereks stomach lurching.

Stiles is 16 now, tall and willowy, loud and brash; beautifully annoying. One thing she isnt though, is afraid. Even though her best friend has been bitten and turned into a werewolf and is now trying to kill her shes still cool, still calm (mostly) and collected. She should have waves of fear pouring off of her skin but instead theres anxiousness, awe, excitement.  
Dereks not sure whether he should be impressed or horrified that even after nine years Stiles is still the same seven year old that would rather jump then climb down a tree no matter if she had more of a chance of getting hurt.

After Scott has calmed down and no longer wants to maul his best friend Derek has the tiresome chore of explaining the whole, 'suprise youre a werewolf thing' to them and the whole time he doesnt understand why Stiles grins, heart pounding in her chest while her left leg bouces off of the grass in excitment.

He'll never understand Stiles and that makes him happy in a way he doesnt quite understand just yet.

xXx

The next memory is one of his favourites.  
He and Stiles are curled up on her sofa watching Gilmore Girls because Stiles loves it and Derek cant bring himself to move.  
Not when his wolf is the most relaxed its been, ever.  
Not when Stiles needs him to be 'a good little pillow so lay still and keep doing the im extremely warm because im a werewolf thing, gawd you could save my dad a fortune on his heating bills!'  
Hes not upset to say he may have even chuckled at that.

Stiles is pretty much in his lap, their legs tangled together and her arms across his stomach ending with her fingers twisted into a loose fist in the fabric of his worn grey shirt. Shes wearing one of his, many, black tshirts and a pair of boy shorts that acutually fir over the massive and not to mention heavy cast thats on her mauled leg. She smells so amazing it make his want to purr or something equally as embarassing.  
She smells like him.  
Shit, she smells like shes his!

Its just an unremarkable day a few weeks before they slept together but after they first kissed. A day when things between them were new and full of promise.

Its a perfect moment and Derek cant remember ever being happier.

A part of him wants to stay there forever.

xXx

Apparently Dereks luck is just as bad in the darkness, in his dreams, than it is in real life because the next image is Stiles' prone and bloody body laying limp in his arms as he raced her to the hospital the night Peter attacked them. He'd wanted so badly to bite her, make her one of his new pack because, hello brand new alpha here, the urge was so strong, so feral but his human side won out. Stiles wouldnt survive the bite in this state, her heart was so weak, she was fading so unfairly fast.  
"No Derek, wait till shes healed or bite her as a last resort. You cant let your mate die!"

Fear was an icy hand around his heart.

A world without Stiles was no place for him.

xXx

The memories stop there and he falls back into the blackness he started in, a simple abyss punctured by the occasional stab of pain.

He feels like there are fingers cading through his hair, petting him like his mother used to when he was ill or how Stiles would when they were curled up in her bed and she thought he was asleep.

He imagined he could hear Stiles talking to him and with her scent everywhere he turned he could almost believe it wasnt a fever induced hallucination.  
"Im here honey, dont worry im here."

The words were softly spoken and oh so loving.

Derek slept better after that.

xXx

Xander glanced at the sleeping girl in the passenger seat of his truck, keeps glancing every chance he gets, every traffic light and stop sign and zebra crossing.

He catalogs her features; adorable upturned nose, long fluttering makeup free eyelashes, slanting cheek bones, the skattering of moles on ivory skin, her soft chesnut hair falling around her face in short waves. Shes awkward and she somehow manages to be both soft and all sharp angles, all elbows and skinny knees. Shes pretty, nothing incredible to look at but her warmth and passion and love shines through ever pore in her body and that, that makes her incredible.

Stiles shuffles slightly in her sleep, unconsiously drawing her arms up to circle her stomach protectively. It draws a smile out of Xander, the thought of how great of a mum Stiles will be, how much he cant wait to meet the baby growing in her belly and fall in love with her/him, how much he cant wait to to be a proper patchwork family, just him Stiles and baby 'Jarvis'. Xander cant wait.

His fingers tighten around the steering wheel.

His clock is ticking.

xXx

Stiles wakes up at the exact moment that Xander passes the 'Welcome To Beacon Hills' sign and he cant help but chuckle as she yawns and strecthes her arms as far as she can in this beat up truck.  
"You're gonna have to direct me from here hon." Stiles smiles softly and nods running a hand through her hair before reaching over to turn the CDplayer on low, flooding the cab with Jack's Mannequin. Xander flashes her a grin and takes the next left that Stiles points out.

He can practically feel how anxious she is as they pull up outside a big white house with baby blue shutters and a wrap around porch. Hes just about to put his hand over hers to calm her when her fingers thread through his and squeeze.

"Whatever happens today Xan I want you to know that I love you, youre one of my best friends and I would never intentionally hurt you. When its all over we will still head back to Berekely and be roomates and watch marathons of things weve seen millions of times and order shitty pizza and live in eachothers personal bubbles okay?"

She holds his gaze and Xanders glad he's no longer driving because her chocolate brown eyes draw him in and hold him captive. Xander nods, tugs one side of his mouth up into a small smirk. Theres a pain in his chest but he understands. "I know Stiles, just know ive got your back too, whatever happens, however you want me at the end, Im still gonna be here."

Stiles grins and for the first time all day theres no underlining fear or panic, it swells Xanders heart in his chest but the dagger in his belt anchors him down. Stiles has brought him to her home town in the middle of a hunter/werewolf war, now was probably not the best time to talk about their feelings no matter how much he wants to. He's about to climb out of the car when a hand fists in his henley drags him back in and suddenly his lips are crushed to Stiles', its hot and desperate and theres no trace of the sweet innocent kisses theyve shared before, he cant help but think shes kissing someone else. Still, he kisses back without a moments hesitation and ignores the tugging at the back of his head, the taunting voice that keeps telling him that 'this is it, youre times up boy'.  
He squeezes his eyes closed, pulls Stiles closer, making the kiss even deeper before pushing her back slightly, pressing one last soft sweet kiss to her lips before exiting his truck and strolling to the front door.

No matter what happens today Xander knows it wont be the same when they get back to Berekley, if they get back to Berekely. He's seen how hunters work and hed be lying if he said he wasnt worried about Stiles pack.  
Yeah, the knife in his belt is definetly weighing him down.

Stiles sits in Xanders truck for a second longer giving her self a silent pep talk before taking a deep breath and pushing down all her fears.

Dereks going to live.  
The baby's going to be fine.  
Everyones going to be fine with me being pregnant.  
Theye going to get the hunters that did this.  
Xander is here, he understands, hes not leaving.  
Theyre going to save Derek and hes going to be totally fine.

She's out of the car, up the path and banging on the front door with Xander clutching at her hand before she can talk herself out of it.

C'mon Stiles, you can do this girl.

xXx

The door to Stiles' childhood home is flung open by a teary Lydia who instantly pulls her into the circle of her arms and hugs her tight.

"Hey, hey, hey, calm down honey, Im here, its okay, its all going to be okay."

She feels Lydia nod against her shoulder and then Scott is in front of her with his hand tight in Alison's. He looks ashen and sick, exactly like he had when Stiles' mother had died and Stiles feels a sob making its way into her throat.

Its bad, she knows now, Derek's dying for real and its all down to her and Xander to save him.  
Two first year biology/mythological studies students who dont even have their degrees yet. A human from a werewolf pack and a human with a hunter dad. Stiles hopes theres a huge fluffy werewolf god that can hear her prayers because other wise theyre actually fucked and Derek... Derek will be dead.

"Come here." Stiles manages to whisper over Lydias head and then Scott is wrapped around her too and so is Allison and then Jackson and the Sheriff are there and its a crude, teary puppy pile that sews up her heart a little bit, lifts a fraction of the weight off of her shoulders.  
Theyre her pack and shes theres and they were most definetly stronger together.

xXx

They pull apart after a few moments of pure unabashed werewolf cuddling, Lydia being the last to pull away. At the exact moment she does Stiles turns to introduce Xander but is cut off by a low threatening growl curling out of Jackson's chest making the hairs on the back of her arms stand up.

"What the fuck have you done Stilinski!"

Stiles spins to face the pack and Jackson looks murderous, his normally blue eyes glowing fluresent yellow focused on her extremely obvious baby bump whilst his teeth elongated into fangs.

"Oh yeah, shit!"

Xander is infront of her in a second, a strange, jagged, white stone knife clutched in his hand directed at Jackson and it suddenly strikes Stiles that just because Xander didnt join his dad hunting werewolves in cold blood didnt mean that he hadnt been taught how to. The knife looks dangerous in his hand and even scarier then that, he looks totally confortable with it as if sliding it into Jackson would be the easiest thing in the world for him. Realization drips down her spine, Xander had never seemed fierce or even like someone that knew how to fight but with his knife brandished in his hand and his honey brown eyes glowing bright green and...Woah hold up, wait a second, what?

Stiles blinks a few times, rubs her eyes with her fists but Xanders eyes are pulsing green light, glowing like a fucking werewolf and, oh holy shit what is happening to the world!

A snarl rips through Scott and Jackson as one causing them both to crouch low to the ground, both almost transformed into their beta forms. Lydia partially shifts, just her eyes and claws and puts her self next to Xander, between Stiles and the two very pissed off werewolves but keeps eyeing Xander suspiciously, .

Thankfully Stiles' dad slips into Sheriff mode just in time to prevent a fight.

"SCOTT! JACKSON! CANT YOU SEE MY DAUGHTER IS HEAVILY PREGNANT AND YOU ARE VERY OBVIOUSLY SCARING HER! BACK THE HELL DOWN!" The two beta stare at her dad as if they cant make out what hes yelling before the Sheriff loses his cool completely and shouts, "NOW!" and yeah that kind of order almost put Derek to shame and both werewolves were suddenly back to being calm, (mostly), and human looking slightly ashames and totally confused.

It takes a second longer for Xander to relax, his fingers flex around the hilt of his dagger and he glances behind him to make sure Stiles is safe, she looks shook up but he knows thats probably more because of him then the wolves, he sighs heavily and reluctantly slides his knife back into his belt.

As soon as he does the tension in the room lessens dramatically and Stiles can finally breath properly.

"Okay, thank you, now i er..." the sheriff glances at everyone in turn and mutters something like 'im getting too old for this shit', under his breath before motioning with his hands for everyone to follow him into the kitchen. "I think everyones got some explaining to do so we might aswell be comfortable whilst we do so."

The pack braces as if another fights going to break out and Stiles rolls her eyes, grabs Xander's now free hand and drags him through to the kitchen after her dad, calling out over her shoulder to the betas, "Come on wolfies, i'll explain everything and then i wanna hear Alexanders story."

Xander winces at the use of his full name something Stiles has never done before, the rest of the pack follows with their metaphorical tails between their legs.

Welcome home Stiles. 


	11. Chapter 11

"Okay so let me get this straight," Scott started, dark eyebrows drawn together as he tried his best to understand the situation, poor puppy.  
"You're six months pregnant with Derek's werewolf offspring, a fact that you have kept from everyone except your dad and Lydia," He shoots her a glare at that to which the red head simply shrugs, preening slightly, "and to top it all off youre 'dating' a werewolf hunter, are you freaking crazy?"

"Ermm youre not really one to talk on that subject honey." Alison whispered from beside her boyfriend threading her thin fingers through his recieving a tight smile in return.

Stiles took a deep breath, glancing quickly at her Dad who nodded his approval, before speaking, god she wished she could have a stiff drink right about now.  
"Look, i know this is a lot to take in and im really, really sorry that i didnt tell you but, i mean can you blame me? Derek wants nothing to do with me he made that very clear last time i was here! He doesnt want me okay? And he most probably wont want my baby either! This is my baby, its in my body! If Derek doesnt want it fine, we can cope," Her hands are back to resting on her bump as she meets everyones eyes with a firey intensity. "You can either be apart of my babys life or you can ignore his/her existance completely, either way i'll understand, i know im not pack anymore..." She sucks in a deep breath at this, lightening shooting through her heart, "And i know he's your alpha... So its totally your call."

Even as her heart jack hammers in her chest she can feel some of the weight slip from her shoulders. They know. Its out in the open now, out of her hands.

Strangly its Jackson who's the first to nod, suprising everyone as he gets up from his seat, walks over to Stiles and flops down onto his knees so that he's eye level with her stomach.

"You'll always be pack Stilinski." And yeah, Stiles chokes at that, feels the familiar sting of tears at the back of her eyes and suddenly all the years of hating Jackson and vice versa cease to matter because hes here now, wants to be there in the future.

"Can i say hello?" he asked softly after a beat, his blue eyes sparkling with a light Stiles has never seen before. The grin that settles onto her face is blinding. "Of course, you're his/her Uncle Jacks."

He joins her grinning then, a wide smile that shows off all his teeth and softens the hard planes of his face, his voice is full of warmth when he next speaks, "Hey little buddy..."

xXx

All of Scotts anger deflated pretty quickly after that and he was soon sweeping Stiles up into a bear hug and even shook Xanders hand, thanking him for looking after his best friend.  
A comfortable air was falling through the room, making the house feel like a home again. Stiles couldnt stop the smile present on her lips, the pack was fine with her and her baby! She was always going to have her friends, everything was going to be okay.

A pained groan slices though the room like a rusty knife sending everyone from relaxed to soliders in a split second.

"What the hell was that?" Xander demanded unconsiously leaning towards Stiles, one hand tight on the back of her chair his whole body coiled to spring at any given moment. Scott, Jackson and Lydia go tense before a strained, exhausted voice sounds from the doorway making everyone jump.

"That would be the hunter that attacked us."

The room goes utterly silent, silent enough to hear Stiles shocked gasp at the sight of Derek. Silent enough that even her Dad with all his average human senses hears her heart beat stutter and pick up faster than usual from fear or anxiety or relief. Actually Stiles has no idea how she feels but its overwelming and its in every inch of her body, fogging up her mind.

Derek looks so pale, even more so than usual and he's sweating like he has a fever, (judging from the glazed over look in his normally hazel eyes that keep flashing red, thats probably the case). Hes leaning heavily on the door with thick black and crimson blood soaking through his dark gray shirt from where his wounds cant heal, he looks a mess, dark purple bruises circle his eyes and at least three days worth of stubble litters his throat and lower face. Hes right on the edge, balancing between wolfing out and collapsing and its enough to break Stiles' heart all over again.

He'sdyinghe'sdyinghe'sdying.

It hits Stiles like a tonn of bricks.

"Stiles?"

Her head shoots up at the sound of her name being whispered, Derek sounds confused, his expression dissbelieving before his whole face melts into the widest smile shes ever seen. God, the warmth that leaks onto his face is breathtaking, it makes Stiles want to climb over the table and jump into his arms, never let him go again.

"Stiles, you came." He sounds so unbelievably happy, like a child thats been given a puppy or a cake or a puppy covered in cake and it makes her smile but it also makes her want to scream and shake him.

'Of course i came you idiot," she wants to yell, 'Its you!'

But then he's hitting the floor like a tonn of lead straight onto his knees and he's coughing up black goo and its 100x worse then with the wolfbane bullet because this time Stiles doesnt know the cure, she doesnt know if there even is a cure.

Shes on her feet and around the table in a second flat, kneeling in front of Derek as Jackson and Scott hold him steady, try and help him to his feet.

"Hey, hey, hey, you should be in bed sourwolf." Stiles tries to joke, her thumb brusing his cheek softly. Dereks answering smile is weak but his hand around hers is anything but.

"I cant believe you came, I've been dreaming about you, i've missed you so much, i kept hearing your voice," a body wracking cough cuts him off and his whole body curls in on itself, black goo dripping out of his mouth.

A sob makes its way out of Stiles's mouth as she tries to crawl towards him but Xander has his arms around her waist, drags her to her feet and pushes her into her dads arms.

"Stiles stay away, it looks like moon stone poisoning and if that black shit gets on your skin it could hurt the baby." Stiles nods jerkily clutching at her dad her eyes solely on Derek.

How is this her life? How did her luck bring her here? Surrounded by freaking werwolves and hunters and moon stone poisoning? How did everything get so screwed up?

"Hunter." Derek snarls, his eyes flashing from hazel to blood red as Xander crouches in front of him. Jackson and Scott go to move their alpha away but Stiles' voice stops them.

"He knows what he's doing, trust him!"

And yeah, Xander cant help but smile at that, at Stiles' undying faith in him when she has nothing but his words to go on.  
Hes a born hunter. Derek is a werewolf. Derek's the father of the baby in Stiles' stomach, the only thing standing in the way of Xander and Stiles being together. Xander could kill him right now, it would be beyond easy, Derek is literally hours from death, Xander could just pretend he didnt know how to fix him or considering that hunting is Xanders birth rite, the instinct pulsing through his not quite human veins like wildfire, he could take the knife from his belt and slit Dereks throat before anyone even had time to react. He could take out the entire pack.  
Hell, taking out Jackson would be like taking candy from a baby, he was way too overun by his emotions and Xander was a pro, Scott wouldnt be too difficult either, harder than Jackson for sure but not too much so. The only one that would be trouble was Lydia but even then Xander was probably better then even her, albiet a little rusty. It would be a walk in the park, would take him ten minutes, tops.

His clocks ticking and the knife feels so heavy on his belt, his fingers itch for it, to close around the cool stone, the comforting weigh of a blade in his palm.

Xander shakes his head and reaches for the white stone knife anchoring him down.  
Derek growls inhumanly loud at the sight of it, his eyes flashing dramatically, claws growing and fangs extending, Scott and Jackson are on the cusp of their beta forms and Xander knows his eyes are glowing like theirs, knows that he looks just as alien as they do.

"The arrows," he manages to growl out around gritted teeth. "What did they look like?" Unsuprisingly Lyida is the one who answers, he can feel her close behind him, still fully human and almost calm even if her voice wavers when she answers him.  
"They were white tipped, just like that knife in your hand, it burnt my fingers when i picked it up."

Xander nods, not breaking eye contact with Derek until hes stood up and across the room one hand comfortingly squeezing Stiles' shoulder.

"I can fix him."

xXx

The whole pack relaxes at Xanders words and it makes his stomach twist. He'd just been contemplating the easiest ways to murder them all for his own happy ending and now they were treating him like their hero, like he was safe and a part of their little family. It makes him want to be sick and he curses his father internally.

Theyve all migrated to the living room, Stiles and Scott sharing an arm chair in a way that makes Xander think theyve been doing it since they were kids whilst Derek is laid out on the carpet at their feet, propped up against the sofa as he swims in and out of consiousness. Lydia's sat to the other side of him, her dainty feet crossed under her body as she constantly checks on her alpha and her best friend, Jackson, Allison and the Sheriff are the only ones not in the room, all three of them down stairs with the hunter trying to find out more about them, more about what they want.  
It says just how badly injured Derek is that he's not clicked onto the fact that Stiles is pregnant and from the way that she keeps grimicing every time Derek talks about a 'Laura' Xander is pretty sure that he's hallucinating and 'Laura' isnt alive anymore. Xander can tell just by looking at him that his fever is off the charts, he doesnt even seem to think Stiles is really there as she cades soft fingers through his matted black hair shooting Xander guilty looks every few seconds.

Xander understands, he can see the way Stiles and Derek are more then just ex's, if Stiles was a werewolf Xander would go as far as calling them mates, she cant help being in love with him even more than Xander can help being a hunter. Its there in their DNA, written by some fucked up god with a twisted sense of humor and too much time on his hands. He understands but it doesnt stop the pain in his chest at seeing the girl he loves love someone else. Xanders not a monster, he's a good person in a strange circumstance plus he loves Stiles way too much to ever hurt her and killing Derek well... Killing Derek would kill Stiles and there was no way Xander could carry that around on his consious. No way jose.

He lets out a frustrated sigh and pulls his knife from his belt again simultaniously picking up the lone bullet thats sat on the wooden chopping board he has resting on his knee next to the mixing bowl Stiles had found in the kitchen. The jagged blade of his knife slides through the metal casing of the wolfsbane bullet as if it was butter before he pours the ground up plant into the bowl. Xander hesitates and sends a weary glance in Stiles' direction to see if she's watching, of course the entire packs eyes are on him, save for Derek who cant even open his anymore.

Xander sighs again, cursing his dad once more in his head before allowing his teeth to sharpen into fangs, drawing a collective gasp from the pack, and biting into the butt of his dagger, cracking the white stone and spitting it into the bowl along with the wolfbane.

"Excuse my language but what the fuck was that?" Sheriff Stilinski exclaims strolling into the room flanked by Jackson and Allison.

"Give me five minutes to cure the alpha and i'll answer all your questions i promise."

The Sheriff hesitates but one quick look at the state of a near dead Derek sparwled at his daughters feet has him nodding and Xanders turns back to his work, dragging the razor sharp edge across his forearm letting the thick crimson blood drip down his pale arm and into the bowl.

"Xander thats gross seriously dude, ugh." Stiles jokes from across the lounge dragging a smile out of him before he sticks his tongue out at her making her giggle. The wound on his arm closes the second he stops squeezing the skin and he can tell everyone's biting their tongues and waiting for him to finish so he can answer their questions.

An agonised howl sounds from Derek and then he's suddenly bent in two, eyes wide open and glowing white, heart pounding against his rib cage like its trying to escape in the most brutal way possible. All of the betas are around him instantly, The sheriff and Allison pulling Stiles away from the alpha even as she screams for him.

"Xander hurry!" Lydia yells fully wolfed out and paniced, her perfect apperance cracked to him for the first time showing the fragile teenage girl underneath.

Xander nods sliding the plastic lighter out of his back pocket, desperately striking his thumb against the flint wheel to no avail.

"Comeoncomeoncomeon!" he mutters under his breath getting nothing but tiny sparks.

"XAN PLEASE!"

"I'm trying!"

Yes! The wolfsbane catches fire almost instantly and the moonstone from his knife melts into a liquid mixing with his blood and turning the same colour as the dying alpha eyes.

"Out of my way, out of my way!" he demands, sprinting to Derek who's parcially shifted, completely blind to his surroundings as he roars with pain and yanks his mouth open, pouring the disgusting mixture down the alpha's throat, holding his jaw shut as he tries to spit it out.

"Guys, a little help here?"

All three betas spring to hold Derek down as he thrashes and tries to escape the fire in his veins until his eyes finally fade from white to red to their human hazel before closing completely, Allison must have let go of Stiles because the next thing Xander knew she was right next to him, clutching at his arm with one hand whilst checking Dereks now completely healed wounds with the other whipsering, "Thank you, thank you, thank you so so much you beautiful person! God i might even consider naming my baby Alexander after you, you lying, supernatural dick who's ass im gonna kick as soon as i can breathe properly and thankyouthankyouthankyou."

Xander grinned collapsing onto the carpet and letting Stiles climb onto his lap and curl up under his chin like they did every night back at Berekly.

"He's gonna need to sleep for a while, his body has literally been to hell and back," Xander annouced to the pack, winding his arms around Stiles and resting his chin on her head, letting out a sigh, "I guess ive got some explaining to do huh..."

The pack all nodded whilst Stiles snorted into his chest. "Understatment of the year Mr!"

Xander shook his head, clutching Stiles tighter. His clock was paused at the moment, suspended in animation and he could finally breathe easily if just for a little while.

"Soooo... Where shall i start?"

Tonight was gonna be a long night.

XxXxXxxXxxxxXxxxxxXXXXxxxXXXX

A/N: Yeah, not 100% happy with this chapter! I swear all your questions about Xander should be answered next chapter and there will be some DEFINATE Sterek :) Please review, let me know what you like/dont like etc :)  
Mucho love :) xxx 


	12. Chapter 12

"First things first," Xander huffed out, flopping onto the armchair Scott had been occuping earlier, Stiles climbing straight in to his lap after she'd made sure Derek was comfortable on the floor. As soon as she was still he began to speak. "Moon stone poisoning is extremely... difficult to get right. Its risky aswell especially if it doesnt work plus moon stone is ridiculously rare, much rarer then wolfsbane and you cant exactly buy it from a supermarket. Mixing them together to make a poison like that," he lets out a low whistle to show just how 'impressive' that is, "I've only ever heard of one group of hunters that use it, did the guy in your basement tell you anything?"

Jackson shakes his head and for the first time Stiles notices the dried blood on his knuckles, wonders just how long the hunter would survive if her dad wasnt around inforcing the law. "When he attacked us he said something about the Tannins," he paused to shrug wiping his dirty hands with the bottom of his tshirt, "Freaked Derek out real bad but past that...Hey, you alright?"

Every last trace of colour had drained from Xanders face.

"Xan, sweety are you okay?" Stiles asked pressing the back of her hand to his forehead to check his temperature, worried that the black stuff dripping out of Derek might have infected Xander, after all he's not quite human either. Xanders silence hangs heavy in the air, his eyes blank and when a shiver spills down his spine Stiles feels it spread through her body too.

"The... the Tannins?" he manages to choke out, his eyes still far away seeing something different to a pack of almost adults spread around Stiles' living room, reliving something in his head that Stiles never wants to see. "Are you 100% sure thats what they said?" Jackson nods slowly in response, reproachful, Xander sounds half mad with panic, his fingers curled in tight balls resting on Stiles' hips.

"Yeah, it's kindof hard to forget something you hear when you think youre about to be hacked to bits."  
The lilt in Jackson's voice hints that he's supposed to be joking but he cant bring himself to smile, they almost lost their alpha and thats no laughing matter.

Xander nods his expression unreadable before motioning for Stiles to vacate his lap.  
"Shit we're in so much trouble." he mumbles under his breath, way too quite for Stiles, Allison or the Sheriff to hear, the werewolves on the other hand.

"What do you mean?" Lydia questions, green eyes alight with fire, with life, Xander cant help the thought that it might not be for much longer.

The clocks ticking.

"Is it really that bad?"

Xander drags a hand down his face before rubbing at his eyes. Yes, yes it is, worse than you can possibly imagine. WE'VE ALL GOING TO DIE!  
Xander bites back his inner turmoil, swallows the bile in his mouth and casts a worried look at Stiles. She's practically glowing with her pregnancy, close to 7 months, her belly round and constantly encircled by her own protective arms. She has the most gorgeous brown eyes he's ever seen, they make him never want to look at anyone else.

He sighs and nods.

"The Tannins..." Xander growls dragging his shaking fingers through his wild honey coloured hair. "The Tannins are my family. My father, Nathaniel Tannin, is their leader," Lydia's jaw hit the floor. Scott unconsiously curled around Allison his first thought always of his mate, Jackson looked ready to burst, questions clinging to the tip of his tongue held back only because Xander isnt done speaking whilst the Sheriff sat quietly taking everything in.  
Stiles' hand found his upper thigh, squeezing it reassuringly even though her eyes were wild with confuseion.  
Xander very slowly and deliberately made eye contact with every single one of them before shattering the eery silence that had fallen. "Basically, we're fucked."

He ignored the terrified voice in the back of his skull that echoed a different set of words.

'No dear Alexander, it is you that is in dire trouble."

The next time he opens his mouth its to tell a story, the story of his anscestors.

The story goes like this: Eli Tannin was born in the 1700's to an extremely poor seamstress out of wedlock. He would grow up to be the eldest of three children, just him, his mother and two twin sisters. By the time he was 17 he was the sole provider for his entire family, working three strenuous jobs for little pay. It was hard work but his family was worth it, his family was everything to him, his only light in the otherwise gloomy world.

One night soon after his 18th birthday a ginormous beast, half, wolf half human, with monsterous teeth and claws tore his family apart, literally tore them all to shreds in cold, cold blood.

The beast was the first werewolf.

The beast killed the entire town, savaged the men and women and worst of all the children. The cobbled streets were flooded with the blood of innocents, nothing could stop the wolf's rampage.  
There were no survivers. Except, on the night the werewolf attacked Eli's family, it left him alive. Alive but barely, tragically mauled and hours from death. Three long jagged claw marks ripped up his torso, starting at his left shoulder and finishing just behind his right hip spilling warm crimson on the stone floor making his head woozy. A chunk had been torn out of his upper right thigh, teeth slicing right to the bone like a butchers cleaver through fresh pig. But worse then that was the human sized bite mark that sat high up on his neck. The pain was intense, white hot and icy cold, rolling his stomach and poisoning his veins. A million microscopic teeth tearing at his nerve endings and frying his insides.

In his agony, in his despair at his murdered family, he cried out for help. Cried out for anyone listening for mercy, to give him the strength to defeat the hellish beast. He prayed for a god or an angel or a miracle or some kind of crossroads deal making demon he'd heard about at the local tavern.

Instead he got a witch.

Amara Rosalva was the most beautiful women Eli had ever seen. She looked like an elfish queen straight out of the legends as she appeared from nowhere surrounded by golden light. Amara was tall and lithe and her pale green eyes glowed with the power of the earth, when she smiled he swore his heart actually stopped beating before picking up in a different pattern; stronger, faster. More alive than he'd ever felt.  
One brush of her velvety soft finger tips had his wounds knitting together right in front of his eyes.

When she spoke it was without words, her thoughts filtering straight into his brain with a voice so sweet it made the berries his sisters picked in summer seem sour in comparison, and they were the sweetest he'd ever known.

She offered him a deal, great power. He would be faster, stronger, his senses unmatched, his eyes able to see even in darkness, he would be able to heal most every wound. An unstoppable hunter.  
He'd be able to defeat the beast.

He could avenge his family.

The yes was out of his mouth before he could even consider it and then his body was being torn into tiny dust like fractures before he was being stiched back up. Different. Not quite human. Better.

Amara's voice was but a whisper in his head when he finally awoke, naked, alone and not quite the same person he had been when he'd passed out. His blood felt thicker in his veins as he marched into town to slay the beast that had taken everything from him, only, Amara hadnt warned him that the bite from a werewolf could turn a human, she hadnt mentioned that the whole village he was trying to save was now a pack of rabid, feral werewolves who's alpha had fled to spread the infection across the world. She hadnt warned him of the nightmares that lay ahead.

By the end of the night his hands were stained in more blood than could ever be washed away.

They say killing a person changes you, but killing everyone you've ever known rewrites you completely.

Eli became the first Tannin hunter, a race bound by the poisoned blood of a not yet turned werewolf and the power of a witch, an inbetween creature, not quite human, too powerful to ever be innocent. Passed down from parent to child. Every single Tannin raised as a hunter, without choice. It didnt matter either way though, the need was there, pounding along with their heartbeats, the blood lust stronger than anyother sense, hunthunthunthunt. They were every bit as cursed as the werewolves.  
Amara's taunting voice echoing through every hunters mind; occasionally helpful, whispering how to make poisons that only harm the wolves, leading them to mines of moonstone to make weapons, but mostly she was a hinderance, whispering that their end was coming, mocking the decendants of a man who had tried to do the right thing but became a monster instead, spawned generations of them in his wake.

Doomed to forever hunt or be hunted, the Tannin way.

But the single worst thing about being a blood bound Tannin hunter?

"We're notoriously difficult to kill," Xander's eyes flashed bright green a shade darker than Amara's had been and finally met the pack's eyes.  
The pack who were all in different stages of disbelief, mouths hanging open and eyes wide.

Unsurprisingly its Stiles who's the first to speak, "I thought your surname was Winchester?" she sounds hurt, as if she hadnt been lying to him this whole time too.

The sigh that leaves his lungs is weary but the hand that wraps around Stiles' is strong, reassuring, it says; Im still here, Im still me.  
"I changed my name to my mothers maiden name when i turned 18, I didnt want to be associated with my dad," he pauses and Stiles squeezes his hand in reply; Im here too, I made you a promise aswell. It warms the icy grip around his heart. "My dads a monster."

The pack nods in unison and its a little bit creepy. Cute but yeah, a little too stepford wives.

"So that knife you've got, it hurts werewolves?" The sheriff asks taking a drag of whisky from a tumbler that Stiles hadnt even notice him pouring, she pouts but doesnt comment, Xander did just drop a fucking huge bombshell on them all, hell even Stiles with all her ADHD and overactive imagination is having trouble prossessing it!

Xander nods pulling the knife from his belt and tossing it to John to have a look at. Its an ugly thing, even more so with the chunk used to cure Derek missing from the butt of it. The blade is brutally jagged, almost like the teeth of a shark. It looks like something out of a science fiction film. A weapon from another planet.  
"Its not fatal just stings like a bitch plus a wound from moonstone takes ages to heal compared to a normal wound. Its only when mixed with wolfbane and the blood of a Tannin that it gets fatal." he shoots a wary glance at Derek's still sleeping form half wishing the alpha was awake so he didnt have to explain everything again but glad that hes unconsious because he can still be selfish awhile longer, can still pretend Stiles is his whilst the older man is unable to demand her attention. The Tannin part of him screeches to kill the wolf but his humanity is stronger, he's supressed his hunter side for 21 years a few more days will be a piece of cake.

Ohhh, the thought of cake has his stomach rumbling embarrasingly loud in the quiet of the living room, making everyone chuckle.

Xander manages a grin and decides that hes said enough for the night, not everything but enough.

"On that note," Allison annouces getting to her feet and dragging Scott with her, "Scott and I have an extremelyawkward dinner with my family to attend, we'll fill them in on everything here if thats okay?"

Xander nods his agreeal with a soft smile. Hes so tired all of a sudden.

"Yeah, I've got to go check in with my family too," Jackson says pulling Stiles into an unexpected hug before following the happy couple out of the door leaving a sleeping Derek, Lydia, Xander, Stiles and her dad.

"Well, I'll start dinner!" Stiles decides but is pushed back into the soft pillows of the armchair by Lydia who has now switched from 2nd werewolf in command to overprotective god mother of Stiles' unborn baby and she is imfamously more terrifying as the latter. "Me and your dad will cook, you, rest!" Stiles quickly agrees curling further into the chair, her doe eyes heavy as she glances from Derek to Xander in equal measure.

After a few minutes of just sitting Xander slaps his thighs and stands up, stretching his limbs stiff from sitting still all afternoon, he needs to get out of the house for a bit, clear his head, get some fresh air. The sheriff thinks its a great idea and even lends him a sweatshirt as Xander forgot to pack his while he paniced making sure Stiles had everything she needed. He presses a sweet kiss to her temple that makes her grin softly but shes already falling asleep and she probably wont even remember it when she wakes up.  
"Love you Stiles."  
"Lub oo too Xannydur."

Half of Xanders mouth tugs up in a half smile as he pulls the patchwork quilt off of the back of the sofa and tucks it around her before leaving the house, and the girl of his dreams, behind for just a little while.

xXx Okay Derek/Stiles definetly in the next chapter i promise! plus he finds out shes pregnant! :) dont forget to review! :) xx 


	13. Chapter 13

L-i-e-s

XxX

"So, do you think we can trust him?" The Sheriff whispers to Lydia whilst peeling potatoes in his kitchen. The red head shrugs, turns on the tap to wash her hands before she starts to cut up the chicken.

"Stiles trusts him and he didn't lie once earlier, so either he's an amazing liar or what he's saying is the truth." Lydia pauses, tilts her head to one side in concentration before smiling softly.

"Right now Xander isn't our biggest problem. Derek's waking up."

The sheriff grimaces and prays to any god listening that the alpha doesn't break his daughters heart any more than he already has.

"Keep me informed."

XxX

Derek wakes slowly feeling every inch of his body as he regains control of it. His wolf's the most content it's ever been, curled up in his chest practically humming with happiness.

Derek's first thought is that he's dreaming, and upon opening his bleary hazel eyes, the sight seems to confirm it. There's a comfortable, warm weight against his side, his mate, his...

"Stiles?" his voice is mumbled and confused but it rouses Stiles from her sleep and she finds herself blinking blearily up at one drowsy alpha.

A warm smile stretches at her lips as she closes her eyes, snuggling back into his arms; safe. "Morning Derek."

Oh shit.

"DEREK!" she shouts sitting up abruptly, her hands instantly flying to her stomach to circle the extremely obvious bump there.

Derek's hazel eyes are wide, bulging, ready to pop out of his head.

"You're...You're?" He looks like he's about to faint but Stiles can't help but notice how much more alive he looks now that he's not y'know, _at death door. _

"Stiles you're pregnant."

_No shit Sherlock._

Stiles pushes down the urge to roll her eyes. Now is totally not the time to get snarky with your ex, _werewolf_, boyfriend whose baby you're carrying without his knowledge, or well, without his knowledge up until now. Shit! Deep breaths Stiles you can do this, in through the mouth and out through the nose, wait, or was it the other way around? Argh crap.

"Uhm, surprise?"

Stiles' almost smacks herself. _Really?! Surprise? That's seriously what you're leading with here?_

Derek just continues to stare. Eyes verging on crimson as they flicker from Stiles' face to her swollen stomach. She's so screwed!

Stiles takes a deep breath, the deepest breath in the history of deep breaths before diving, head first, into her explanation. (Okay so maybe she whispers a little prayer first, so sue her).

"Before you ask, yes it's yours and yes I'm sure! I didn't want to tell you because I know I'm not your mate and so we shouldn't have, y'know, _mated_ and your first kid, pup, no definitely kid, should be with someone you actually love and not some ADHD human who quite honestly isn't ready for the responsibility that comes with being a mom but I _will_ be and I'm not alone because I have Xander and my dad and Lydia and Scott and _Jackson_ of all people, so I totally get that you don't want me and that you don't want Jarvis. That's not what I'm calling the baby by the way it's just what I've been calling the bump," Stiles pauses to draw in another lung full of air, ignoring the way Derek's lips move to speak.

"Look, you know I was in love with you, still am in love with you, but I'll get over it and Jarvis is gonna be my whole life because he isn't even born yet and I love him more then I ever thought was possible and yeah I'm crushed that you don't want me but I'm strong and independent and I can totally do this and _ohmygodDerekwhatareyou_..."

Stiles shuts up as her face is cradled between Derek's hands, their mouths literally _a hair's breadth apart_ and he's smiling. Why the hell is he smiling?

"Can I speak now?" he asks gently, eyes still alpha red but glowing softly. His thumb brushes the length of her cheek back and forth and she can feel her heart going ape shit in her chest. Unable to form words, (and isn't that a first), she simply nods. Derek sighs, in what seems to be, relief and rests his forehead against hers, eyes falling closed.

"Do you know how difficult it was to tell you that you weren't my mate?"

Stiles freezes. Literally fucking freezes, her heart and everything just _stops_ for a split second before resuming at double speed. There's the tiniest flickering of hope in her chest but no, no he can't be saying what she thinks he is. There's no way.

Hazel eyes flutter open and holy shit are they close together and Stiles is unable to do anything but breathe in the air from Derek's lungs.

Realizing that he's expecting an answer, she shakes her head, no. Confusion rolling off of her in waves.

What the?

Derek rumbles deep in his chest and drops his left hand to curl at her hip whilst the right finds her chin, tilts her face so she has no choice but to gaze into his eyes.

"Telling you that we weren't mates... Shit Stiles. Pretending that I, that I didn't _love_ you. That was the hardest thing I've ever done in my _entire_ life."

Stiles blinks stupefied, her heart battering against her rib cage like it's desperate to escape, to find a home in Derek and yet, the words aren't commuting.

Is he trying to say he loves her? Always has? That she is actually his mate? That the last six months of heart break were for nothing? That all the sleepless nights she spent terrified that he'd find out about Jarvis and flip his shit were, what? A misunderstanding?

Bullshit.

A white hot anger starts to build in her stomach.

"Why?!"

Derek looks startled by the fire in her words, her schooled expression as she full on channels Allison's inner Amazon princess and God, doesn't that feel good.

"I had to keep you safe." Derek replies as if its the most obvious thing in the world and it clicks then. Derek is literally the most selfless person ever.

Stiles almost screams.

"You are by far the most ridiculous, annoying, clueless, idiotic, condescending, heartbreaking _prick_ I have ever met in my life!"

"What? Stiles I'm..."

"No! NO! My turn to talk!" she pretty much growls, (quite believably too, it certainly puts Scott's first attempt to shame anyway). "When you talk you fuck up our lives so just stop. Stop and listen to me."

Derek looks like someone's just taken a crowbar to his face but he does what she says, lets go of her so she can vent without tearing his arm off.

"Do you love me?"

Derek goes to speak but Stiles stops him, "Nuhuhuh! No talking just nod or shake your head."

Derek looks like he's going to protest but instead he just chuckles.

Nod.

Stiles can't help the smile that slips onto her face.

"Did you think I was too young to know what I wanted?"

A slight frown then a nod.

"Did you tell me you didn't love me because you were scared that as an Alpha's mate hunters would want to kill me to get to you?"

Nod.

Stiles is floating. Fifteen freaking feet off the ground.

Always one to push her luck she asks one more.

"Do you want to raise this baby with me, as a family?"

Derek grins, heartstoppingly handsome before nodding enthusiastically.

You could hear Stiles' squeal from space.

"Come here." he breaths. Stiles goes more than willingly and this, this is the kiss that will go down in history, the notebook be damned!

"I love you more than I can comprehend. The pack has been a total mess without you Stiles, _I've_ been a total mess without you." Stiles giggles as Derek kisses her nose in the most playful display she's ever seen. "Can I?" he whispers, hazel eyes flickering to her bump. Stiles gasps but nods. She's been wanting this since she found out. Her, Jarvis and Derek, the perfectly imperfect family.

His hand finds hers, their fingers entwine and under the joint touch of it's parents, the baby kicks.

XXXXX

"They've made up?" The sheriff asks pouring the potatoes into the hot fat to make chips, half wanting to know but the other half terrified for his baby girl.

Lydia just grins though, pretty much bouncing on the balls of her feet and John can feel the weight drop off of his shoulders..

"YES! He wants to be a family!"

John smiles, "Oh thank god!" and scoops Lydia up into a hug, spinning her around until a thought hits him causing his face to fall.

"What?" Lydia asks, noticing his sudden change in demeanour.

The sheriff sighs and rubs the back of his neck in the exact same way Stiles does when she's nervous.

"Xander."

"Oh shit."

XXXXX

The area around Stiles' family home is mostly forest, with a few houses scattered in between. It's under populated and better yet; quiet.

Its getting dark out with no moon to light the sky and Xander's suddenly very pleased that he accepted John's hoodie, drags it a little tighter to his body, curling his hands up in the sleeves, and if it smells slightly light Stiles' perfume well, that's just a bonus.

The crisp fresh air is clearing his head just like he thought it would, making things seem simpler... What was that? Xander spins round, lightning fast surveying his surroundings.

Nothing.

But then;

A twig snapping to his left.

Feet shuffling three feet behind him.

Glinting eyes in the bushes straight ahead.

Xander growls, his teeth elongating into fangs, his eyes glowing apple green.

The arrow's quicker though, embeds itself in the fleshy bit between his ribs. Xander loses control of his body almost instantly, hitting the floor like a tonne of bricks, his eyes skyward.

Kanima poison.

A smooth whistle fills the air sending shivers down his spine.

"My,my, my. Alexander Tannin, fancy seeing you here."

Xander's vision swims dangerously as a familiar face leans over him, grinning manically.

If he had control of his body he would throw up.

_'Tick tock tick tock'_

"Dad?"

Nathaniel Tannin smirks down at his son with venom in his eyes, the unhinged stare of a true Tannin hunter.

"Long time no see boy."

Xander doesn't even have time to flinch before the heel of his dad's boot is connecting with his head and everything goes black.

Thank you to everyone who's been reading this and commenting and favouriting! Means so much to me! Sorry for the wait for this chapter I've had major writers block! :) Let me know what you think! Much love - Deanna


	14. Chapter 14

Xander lies flat out on his dorm bed wearing just a pair of grey sweats and a smile. Stiles is stood at his feet, Xander's discarded shirt the only thing covering her beautiful ivory skin.

His smile stretches into a grin.

"Come here beautiful."

Stiles giggles and begins crawling up the bed, pressing the sweetest of kisses to his nose before dropping her weight on his and snuggling into his arms.

"I love you Xan."

His arms tighten around her waist, his heart feather light in his chest, he's never been so happy, he's...

"Fuck!"

A sharp impact to his ribs wrenches him from his dream, his scream staining the dank air with his agony.

"Fuck." he mutters again, trying to drag his hands to grasp his wound but finding himself bound on what he gathers is the damp floor of an abandoned warehouse.

There are white spots dotting his vision, his head's swimming likes he's drunk his way through an entire liquor cabinet and there are ropes digging into the tops of his thighs. He cant even feel his feet besides from the phantom tingle of pins and needles threatening to take over.

All of his limbs are heavy with the after effects of the Kanima poison. Even if he wasn't bound he doubts he could escape.

He stops struggling the second he realizes its useless, lets his whole body sag onto the freezing concrete. The Tannins have him, there's nothing he can do now but wait.

"Ah, I see you're finally awake Alexander."

Xander snaps his gaze up to the shadow across the room. It moves slowly towards him, like a demon from the smoke until the one bare light bulb swinging from the ceiling lights up his fathers face, twisted into a sneer.

_'Gods help me'._

"Now, now, now, son. Is that any way for a Tannin to behave. I can practically smell the _stink_ of your fear from here."

Xander's heart is pounding ruthlessly against his rib cage. _If they've got __him then they know about Stiles, do they know that she's pregnant?! Do they know it isn't his? Do they know the baby is Hales? That the baby is a werewolf? Shitshitshitshit. _

Nathaniel Tannin takes a step closer to his son, crouches down and tilts Xander's chin up with one taloned finger, studying the face of his son whom he hasn't see for five years. Well, not in person anyway.

Xander schools his expression, pushes down his pain, silences even Amara's taunting voice in the back of his skull. He needs to be totally focused. Completely in control. Nathaniel cannot win this.

His father's face softens into an almost gentle smile, if it wasn't for the blood lust in his eyes you'd think he was nothing but a concerned dad.

"I see you've been busy since we last spoke. You're getting top grades at collage, been offered some very important sounding jobs, made some nice new friends and such a pretty little girlfriend."

Xander's jaw tightens.

_Please let this just be about me, pleasepleaseplease. _

"Stiles, am I right?" Xander doesn't move an inch. "She's the sheriff's daughter, Stiles Stilinski. Beautiful girl, she's got such _fire _too. You have very good taste."

Nathaniel hand curls around his son's jaw and roughly pushes Xander away causing his back to smash against the concrete floor with a sickening crack, The impact bruising his spine. The groan that spills out of Xander's mouth brings a twisted smile to his father's face. There's blood in Xander's mouth from accidentally biting the inside of his cheek, he swallows it down almost choking on the coppery taste.

Every hit he takes is one Stiles won't have to.

"She's also extremely pregnant." Nathaniel's tone is casual and it spills terror through Xander's blood like ice. "Yours?"

Xander nods, manages to cough out a fragile yes.

"Hmm," Nathaniel muses straightening up to his full height and strolling towards a table Xander hadn't noticed, pressed up against the far wall. He pauses, picks up something that looks way too much like Xander's own dagger for his liking before stalking back to his son.

Xander squirms so he's facing his dad, fear spiking at heart as he kept his face smoothed into a mask of indifference.

"Well it seems a congratulations is in order then son. A father at 21," Nathaniel lets out a low whistle studying the point of Xander's blade. "You must really love this girl."

Xander nods, his hands clenching into fists.

"Looks like you're finally going to get the perfect little family you always wanted, now, now don't look at me like that, I'm proud of you son. You took your own path, you've found the girl of your dreams, fallen in love, gotten her pregnant. Perfect."

Xander studies his father with wary eyes. What was he doing? What was his angle? Why was he here in Beacon hills of all places?

"The only problem though son." Nathaniel smiles at the blade in his hands one last time before meeting his son's glance with glowing jade eyes.

"I don't believe a single thing out of your mouth."

The knife swishes though the air slicing through Xander's flesh like a hot knife through butter, splattering the concrete with a deep slick red. Xander gasps at the incredible pain even as the wound slowly knits itself back together.

"I'm sure I raised you better then to lie to your elders son." Nathaniel scolded admiring the blood staining the icy white handle of his son's dagger. "I guess I'll have to work on re-educating you."

XXXXXX

Stiles shoots up out of her bed gasping for air and clutching at her stomach.

The pale glow of her old beside lamp brightens the room slightly from behind her before strong warm arms encircle her, cradling her against a solid chest.

"Baby what's wrong?" Derek asks, concerned, as he smooths her hair in a soothing sweep.

Stiles gulps in the air like a drowning man. Her head pounding out a mantra of _XanderXanderXanderXander_.

"Something wrong." she whispers, wide eyed, her voice dripping with the fear gripping her heart.

Derek takes a worried glance at his phone on the bedside table. 3am. No missed calls or messages. Everything seems fine, his pack would notify him if anything was wrong, he'd be able to feel it if any of them were hurt.

"The pack's fine Stiles I pro..."

"It's Xander." Stiles interrupts, turning around to face him. "He's not home, check the house. He's not here, we can't _feel _him."

Derek raises an eyebrow at that. "We?"

Stiles flushes pale pink, "Me and the baby, or maybe its just Jarvis, but, we can _feel_ Xander when he's around us or in pain or what? What's that face for?"

Derek is literally glowing. The smile on his face melting Stiles into a big ol' pile of goo. "Our baby is an alpha." he whispers in awe. "Our baby isn't even _born_ yet and its an _alpha_."

Stiles stares at Derek like he's gone mad, "Yeah um, lets pretend I don't know what that means, actually yeah, I have no idea what that means unless... Oh! Ooh! I get it! Jarvis is an alpha and he/she see Xander as pack the same way you see Scott as pack! So we can tell if he's around or when he's in... pain. Holy shit Derek we need to find him! The feeling that woke me up was as if something had just slashed my chest open!"

Derek's on his feet in seconds, his phone already ringing Lydia's number. He freezes at the spike of fear that stutters Stiles' heart.

"We need to find him Derek," she whispers, and he swears her eyes flicker red for a split second.

"_The hunters have got Xander_."

XXXXXXX


	15. Chapter 15

The basement was freezing.  
Every inch of Xander's skin stung with the cold, the damp soaking into his skin turning it numb.  
His moonstone dagger sat embedded in his thigh right up to the hilt denying his ability to heal even as his flesh tried knitting itself together around the jagged blade. He could hear every drip of his own blood hitting the floor in a steady staccato paired only with the incessant mantra of _StilesStilesStiles_ echoing through his mind.

It had been a little over an hour since his father had stopped his beating claiming he had 'more important business' to attend to, and most of Xander's wounds we're healing, but it was sluggish. He was too tired, too cold. Too hopeless.

His father knew about Stiles, or at least he had his hunches and for a Tannin hunter, for _THE_ Tannin hunter, that was more than enough means to murder her, and Xander couldn't stop it.

_'And neither can they.' _

The breath escaped his lungs as his head connected with the damp concrete.

Fuck.

How had this become his life? 21 and ready to sacrifice everything for one girl. He'd promised his mom he wouldn't become a martyr and yet...

_'Tick tock, tick tock.' _

_Squeezing his eyes shut he sent a prayer to whoever was listening before preparing to break his promise. _

_I'm so sorry mom. _

_The chains snapped.  
Amara appeared at his side, barely visible, more mirage than anything else. Her ghostly hand settling on his shoulder sending shivers down his spine. _

_'It is time young one.' _

_XXXXX _

_Stiles paces back and forth around the kitchen whilst the sheriff sits curled around a lukewarm coffee that he hasn't even sipped.  
The pack have been gone for two hours and nothing.  
Not a peep, not one whiff of Xander's scent, not a single clue as to where he could be._

_Jarvis keeps kicking at Stiles' stomach, obviously sensing her anguish at being stuck at home with no way to help. _

_"Ugh this is just ridiculous! We should have heard something from them by now, it can't be that difficult-" _

_The ringing of her phone cuts her rant off before it even really picks up steam, and she flings her self towards the kitchen table to grab it but- _

_The sheriff gets there first. _

_"Derek?" pause. "You've caught his scent?" He exclaims, meeting Stiles' gaze with wide blue eyes. Stiles' starts making grabby hands for the phone but her dad brushes them off. _

_"West side of town? Huh, there's nothing there but some old factories. Yeah, no, it's definitely a great place for a hide out I agree." Stiles' strains against her dad's hand trying to eavesdrop but to no avail. _

_"Okay, yeah I'll be there in 20 minutes tops. No don't worry Stiles' will stay here. Okay, I'll tell her, bye." _

_The sheriff hangs up the phone with a solemn expression, instantly clambering to his feet and pulling on his holster. _

_"Dad, dad what's going on? Where are you going? Just give me a second to get my coat and I'll come with you." Stiles' is frantic, following her dad as he straps on his weapons.  
Xander's in trouble, Xander needs her. Her pack needs her. _

_Finishing getting his things together, the sheriff turns to his panicked daughter and grips her shoulders tight, blue eyes boring into honey brown. _

_"They're across town at the old industrial estate, they've caught Xander's scent and it's pretty fresh but there's, there's blood honey. There's a lot of blood." _

_The sob's out of Stiles' mouth before she can even hope to stop it. _

_'Xander no! Why did she bring him here, why did she get him involved, what if he's dead? What if-' _

_"STILES! Hey sweetie, he's going to be fine, we're going to save him okay? Derek knows how important he is to you and to the baby, we'll get him and kill these hunters and then everything will be fine baby girl, I promise." _

_Stiles nods into the worn fabric of her dad's sheriff jacket, dragging the pieces of herself that have shattered back together. Straightening up, steeling her eyes, fists clenched. _

_"Okay." she announces after a quick moment. "Lets go." _

_John shakes his head and gently pushes his daughter into the chair he just vacated. _

_"Honey, no. You're staying here, Derek's orders, hell, my orders okay? You keep my grandchild safe y'hear?" his smile's soft as he presses a kiss to her forehead before heading to the front door, "We'll be back before you know it." he calls over his shoulder. _

_Stiles is on her feet in an instant.  
"Wha-! No! Dad, it's Xander, I have to come help, I-" _

_The sheriff spins round. _

_"I swear to god Stiles' you stay right here!" _

_"But-" _

_"NO STILES! I mean it, you mean too much to too many people, keep Jarvis safe. Can you imagine how pissed Xander would be if you got hurt trying to save him?" _

_Stiles' slumps back into the seat in defeat. _

_"I love you honey, keep your phone on and I'll keep you in the loop." _

_Stiles nods and her dad heads back to the door, he's half way out when he suddenly spins back around, a bright grin stretching his face, "Oh and by the way, Derek says to tell you he loves you. I'll be back as soon as I can." And with that the door slams shut leaving Stiles to the silence of an empty house. _

_"This is gonna be a long night." she mutters feeling Jarvis wiggle in agreement. _

_XXXXXXXX _

_Twenty minutes of deafening silence is all Stiles can take before she's grabbing the keys to Xander's truck, along with the curved hunting knives Allison had gifted her with one Christmas and jogging from the house. _

_"Oh screw it!" _

_Derek may be her alpha but the baby growing in her stomach was one as well, and right now their pack was in danger and they'd be damned if they didn't do everything in their power to save him. _

_"Hold on Xan, we're coming." _

_XXXXXXXXXXX_

Notes: I just want to say I am sooooo sorry this took so long. The last few months of my life have been testing to say the least and someone very dear to me is no longer here and I just didnt feel like writing, especially about a child due to the circumstances. But I'm feeling better now and have been working hard to finish this story off. This chapter is unbeta'd so sorry for anymistakes and thank you all so much for sticking with me and for all your lovely comments! Hope you enjoy this chapter! Love Deanna


	16. Chapter 16

The pack follows Xander's scent to an abandoned warehouse right on the edge of town. The Sheriff had called them on the way and told them he'd been called into work due to shots fired in town and would meet them later, so now they were on their own.

The warehouse looks derelict and stinks of decay along with the sour smell of sweat and hunter. There's a huge rusted 'R' hitched on the wall towards the top of the building and empty bottles and cigarette ends littering the ground.

The pack stays in the shadows watching as two guards patrol the balcony that's wrapped around the second floor, with threatening looking shot guns strapped to their chests. Derek would bet his life that they weren't just loaded with normal bullets.

_Shit, what were they getting into here? _

"I can make out at least seven heart beats." Scott whispers, his voice surprisingly steady considering the waves of fear rolling off of him.  
Lydia nods her agreement, "Two patrolling outside, three on the second floor and two in the basement. I mean I'm guessing this place as a basement? There are definitely two separate beats coming from underground."

"So the odds are in our favour then right?" Jackson murmurs sounding hopeful. "I mean, there's four of us, and one of those heartbeats is Xander and he's on our side!" The pack shrugs in unison, sharing questioning glances as Jackson continues, "Plus I'm betting Xander's dads the only proper Tannin hunter so the others should be pretty easy to take out?"

The pack nods before turning to look at their alpha.  
Derek's face looks grim. His green eyes steely and his jaw clenched so hard it looks painful.  
Scott, Jackson and Lydia raise a collected eyebrow in confusion.  
"What? What is it?" Lydia asks, dragging a soothing hand across Derek's tense shoulders.

Derek's head is spinning. Images of the night his family burned flashing in his head. They'd only smelt one hunter but there had been six. Only one heartbeat but there had been six hunters.

_What if they were masking themselves?_

His blood ran cold.  
"Do you remember, before Stiles left for College, when we all played that game of hide and seek as part of your training?"

The three betas nod looking confused.

"Yeah, of course." Scott answers with a half smile shaping his lips, "We searched for Stiles for hours but there was no sign of her and eventually we had to give up and she'd been sat in a tree watching us the whole... Holy shit!" Chocolate brown eyes widened in understanding.

"They're masking themselves." Lydia whispered sending a shiver though the pack.

_Shit._

XXXXXX

Stiles clutches her coat tighter around herself as she climbs out of the cab of Xander's truck and into the silence of the night.  
The warehouse looks even worse than she'd imagined, like a scene from Saw, or any of those cliché slasher flicks that she pretends don't bother her.

Its just started to drizzle and this is very quickly becoming her worse nightmare so she flexes her grip on her knives and heads towards the huge metallic garage looking door before she loses her nerve.  
Its a couple of feet off of the ground, just enough space for her and Jarvis to squeeze though, and then she's inside and the silence from outside is shattered by the war like sounds echoing from across the warehouse floor.

_Hold on Xan, We're almost there._

XXXXXXX

In the end the plan the pack came up with was, basically, 'don't die, and make sure we all get out, including Xander and kill everyone else.'

They hugged fleetingly before Scott and Jackson sprinted off to take down the first two hunters clearing the way for Lydia and Derek to follow.

"We're gonna survive this Der, you've got my best friend and my niece/nephew to get home to." Lydia announced slapping her dainty hand complete with terrifying claws against her alpha's chest.

Derek smiled softly, the bond of his pack a ball of warmth in his chest before announcing; "I bet I can kill more hunters than you can."

"Oh you're on Big Bad!"

XXXXXXXX

The hunters had, indeed, been masking their true numbers but luckily it wasn't as many as they'd thought. Once they were past the first two and got inside there were ten paired up and wandering around the warehouse completely unprepared for an ambush. It was like taking candy from a baby and the tense atmosphere from outside melted away as the pack almost began to enjoy themselves.

So, obviously that was when it all started to go wrong.

Once they'd cleared the first and second floor they headed for the basement. Their superficial wounds healing as they padded down the damp, twisting staircase.

"I don't know about you guys but, don't you think that was a bit-"

"Don't say too easy!" Scott cried as quietly as he could, covering Jackson mouth with his hand. "Bad things always happen when people say that in films!"

Jackson rolled his eyes but didn't move to disagree.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs the door's suspiciously unlocked.

"There's only two heartbeats." Scott whispered, eyes wide.

"What are the chances of that actually happening and it not being a trick?" Lydia added, one hand flat against the door whilst she glanced at Derek for permission.

"Do it, we can handle it."

Lydia nodded and gave the door a tiny shove.  
It swung open without a creak.

XXXXXXX

The basement was a long, wide tunnel separated into four huge storage rooms each with an extremely heavy iron door perfect for keeping people in, or more likely, out.

A howl tore through the quiet making Xander jump. It sounded quite far away but still definitely in the building.

_That meant the pack was here, brilliant! Maybe he would make it out of this.  
Oh god they better not have brought Stiles._

Through the door he could hear three? No, four hunters.  
Four against one, he could do that easily.

He moved towards the table his dad had been using, Amara a ghostly, and reassuring, presence on his left side.  
The sight of the weapons slick with his own blood makes his stomach flip.  
He goes for the cleanest ones; a CZ SP-01 Phantom slips into the waistline of his practically destroyed jeans and two curved hunting knives make a home through his belt loops.  
He turns to leave but Amara points to his moonstone dagger with expectant eyes. The pearly white handle is stained pink and the blade is sticky with browning blood.

_It's the only way to kill your father young one._

Xander sighs heavily but picks it up anyway, begrudgingly realizing that the weight in his hand is more than familiar. He feels strong; Ready.

"Lets go."

XXXXXX

The pack, lead by Derek, storm into the basement, claws and fangs bared looking feral, growling low in their throats.  
Surprisingly there _are_ only two hunters in the room. Two average looking men in there mid twenties playing cards on a folding table.

Their eyes nearly pop out of their heads but they're fast, obviously trained, and the shorter of the two has his gun and has fired at Scott before the werewolf can even blink.  
The bullet hits its target, straight into the right side of Scott's chest, throwing him back against the wall. Jackson lets out a feral snarl and the hunter's dead before his finger can uncurl on the trigger.

The second hunter takes a swipe at Lydia and tears through her top, slicing the soft flesh of her stomach open but its already healing as she rips out his throat.

Derek runs to Scott thinking the worst, but the beta is half way back onto his feet, shirt stained with a scary amount of blood but with a grin on his face.  
Scott stretches out his hand to show Derek the bullet.  
"Wolfsbane free, thank god!" he chuckles as Derek pulls him to his feet, checking the wound himself just in case.

"Come on, the soppiness can wait until we're home."

XXXXXXX

The iron door bursts open after Xander throws his entire weight at in, causing the four hunters inside to jump out of their skins, scrambling for their weapons.

The first two come at Xander with hunters swords, 2ft long and slightly curved. They fight in unison, one jabbing whilst the other one slices. They're skilled and fast, but Xander's faster and he buries two bullets in their brains without breaking a sweat.

The third guys a beast. He's the size of a grizzly bear and just as hairy, in his right hand he has a bloody bat with nails in it, not your regular hunter's weapon, whilst the left is clenched in a fist, brass knuckle dusters decorating his fingers.

He doesn't go down easily but he does go down. Not many people can take two knives to the heart and survive.  
Except maybe a werewolf.

_"Or a Tannin," _Amara adds unhelpfully.

Xander clenches his jaw whilst wiping his bloody hands down his soiled shirt before facing the last guy, whose back is plastered against the iron door as if he's protecting it.

Xander tilts his head to one side with a sly smile.

"You don't have to die here man."

The hunter grips his crossbow tighter aiming for Xander's heart.

"That's funny, I was about to say the same to you." he spat, his face scrunched up in disgust.

_Tick tock, tick tock._

"You _know_ I'm a Tannin right? You _know_ you cant kill me, right?"

The hunter scoffed his index finger twitching on the trigger.

"Yeah, well, I can try."

The bolt flew across the room lightening fast before embedding itself in Xander's shoulder sending him stumbling back a few feet.  
It hurt like a bitch but he schooled his features.

"Gonna have to try harder than that buddy."

The hunter smirked but before he could pull the trigger a second time, a curved knife plunged into his throat sending him to the ground like a lead weight.

Xander spun round in shock. He hadn't thrown the blade so who...

**"STILES! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE!?" **

Stiles stood defiantly in the door frame, her coat wrapped around her swollen belly and an identical blade in her left hand as the one in the hunter's throat.  
"Err, we're here to rescue you?" she announced sheepishly.

"God if I wasn't so glad to see you I would murder you!" he growled grabbing her round the waist and cuddling her to his chest.

"Jarvis knew you were in trouble, and the pack wouldn't let me come. They left us at home with nothing to do and dad said they would text but he hasn't and I was worried and you know I can't sit at home-"

Xander covered her mouth with his hand cutting off her rambling with a smile.

"I'm safe okay, don't worry I'm not even hurt."

Stiles eyed the arrow protruding from his chest warily.

"Okay, so I'm not _that_ hurt, it will heal as soon as I take it out, I promise." he reassured her, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear with his least bloody hand.

Stiles rolled her eyes but it didn't diminish her grin as she grabbed his arm and tried to drag him to the door behind her.

"Right, let's go, I drove your truck here and parked it around the back. There was this massive garage door thingy I came though and there was no one anywhere and then I found these creepy stairs down to the basement, and you know I've seen my fair share of horror films and the bad guys always keep their victims in the basement so yeah, I went down them and saw all the gore and then I saw you and Mr. Sarcasm over there and I just threw my knife but that's over now so come on, lets go!"

Xander's eyes softened as he cradled her face in his hands. She was so beautiful, so feisty, so strong. Her hair was a total disaster zone, sticking up in every direction, falling out of her pony tail as if she'd been running her fingers through it. Her bright amber eyes were ringed in smudge black mascara from three days ago.

Her warm, right hand settled over his, her thumb softly caressing his skin.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

_"Time to go, times run out."_ Amara whispered gently.

"Nothing, it's nothing, I swear, I just. Can you head back to the car? Get the engine running? I just need to go in that room and do something real quick and then I'll meet you, promise!"

Stiles looked suspicious but nodded anyway, sensing the desperation in his voice.

"Or, actually just drive straight home. The pack are here, just through this door or the next, I'll just grab them and we'll head back to yours, but you know Derek will be pissed if he finds you here."

Stiles smiled, "Yeah okay, okay you're right, I'll see you in about half an hour okay?"

Xander nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat.

_"Alexander..."_

"Of course." he promised, pulling her in for one last hug, burying his face in her neck and committing her scent to memory.

"Half an hour." he promised.

XXXXXXXXX

Once Xander couldn't hear Stiles' footsteps any more he turned to face the door, stepping over the dead hunter and using his foot to shove it open.

Bright sterile light blinded him.

The room was the biggest so far and sparse, full of weapons and ammo and canned goods of some kind.

It also looked like a war zone. The werewolves; Derek, Scott, Lydia and Jackson were tearing their way through the 20 odd hunters that filled the room and were obviously winning even if they were all bleeding heavily. Xander joined into the fray, unloading the rest of his clip into five hunters with their backs to him before slashing out with his dagger.

With Xander and the pack working together they finished the remaining hunters off easily. Meeting in the middle of the room exhausted but grinning.

"We're here to save you oh damsel in a dress!" Scott announced with a flourish.

Jackson slapped him round the back of the head playfully, "Its damsel _in distress_ idiot."  
Scott flushed bright red as they all laughed at him.

Derek clapped a hand down on Xander's shoulder with a wolfish grin. "You need a hand with that?" he asked motioning to the arrow still crudely sticking out of his chest.

"Yeah, please."

XXXXXXX

The pack were startled out of their victory by a slow clap and heavy footsteps down a metal staircase.

The wolves growled as one whilst Xander's blood ran ice cold.

"Well, well, well, seems my own baby boy is working with monsters. I'd be disappointed if I wasn't so impressed. Luring all the wolves in a 10 mile radius straight to me, I should be awarding you Alexander, especially since you brought the _Pièce de résistance."_

Nathaniel snapped his fingers and on cue a hulking mass of man strolled into the room dragging Stiles with him by a rope tied around her wrists. The man mountain stopped a few feet from Nathaniel and shoved Stiles onto her knees at his feet.

"Hey, hey, hey watch the merchandise!" Stiles complained angrily, before facing the pack and Xander. "Guys I'm sorry, I was heading home I promised and Mr. T over here just comes out of nowhere!"

A fierce growl rips out of Derek's throat as he falls forward on all fours, his alpha form doubling his size and kick starting his beta's shift until all four werewolves were fully transformed and terrifying.

"Hold it!" Nathaniel shouted sounding bored motioning to where the huge hunter had a jagged knife pressed to the fragile skin of Stiles' neck, one beefy hand wrapped in her hair exposing her throat.

"Don't make another move."

All four wolves hesitated.  
But Stiles took the moment to escape, slamming her elbow into Mr. Gigantor's junk before tugging the curved blade out of the back of her jeans and shoving it into hit throat just like she had the other hunter.

Derek and Xander pounced at the same time, Derek for Stiles and Xander heading for his dad.

_Now Xander, NOW!_

The blade of Xander's dagger pointed straight at his dad's heart as he knelt over him.  
His father looked crazed, jade eyes glowing eerily, a gruesome smile twisting his features like something out of a Tim Burton movie.

"Go on Alexander, do it! Kill me! You know what happens! You haven't got the guts! Come on, KILL ME!"

Nathaniel Tannin's down fall was always that he was too cocky.

The knife sunk into his father's chest easier than Xander would of thought, puncturing his heart.  
Nathaniel was dead before his head even hit the floor, a look of shock forever frozen on his face.

Xander grinned triumphantly before crumbling to his knees. Warm , metallic tasting blood filling his mouth.  
He spat it next to him before collapsing on to his back.

_Oh shit. I'm so sorry mom, I love you, please forgive me._

Stiles watched Xander crumple in disbelief, saw the dark crimson soaking into his shirt in a crude mockery of his father.  
She was out of Derek's arms and across the room cradling Xander's head on her lap in a heartbeat.

"Xan? Holy crap Xan! What did you do? Why are you dying!? Xan!?"  
She was hysterical, but Xander just smiled softly entwining their fingers.

"Do you remember when I said Tannin hunter were hard to kill?" he asked before turning his face to cough bright red onto the stone floor.

"Of course I do but don't talk okay, we'll get you to a hospital just save your strength."

Xander ignored her and continued talking.

"We're so hard to kill because only a hunter of Tannin cursed blood can kill another Tannin. The only problem though is, to kill one of your own kills you."

Stiles chocked on a sob, clutching Xander's body to hers.

"No. Nonononono. You can't die Xander, you can't!"

"Don't worry, there are no more Tannins left now, you're safe, _all of you_ are safe. Stiles, Stiles promise me you'll be happy, promise me you'll live for the both of us and, if you want, will you please tell Jarvis I love her/him. That I really wanted to be Uncle Xan, I mean I would have rather been Daddy, but he/she has Derek and that's good enough."

Stiles giggled through her tears and held on tighter.

"I love you Xander, so much, of course I'll tell Jarvis about you, he'll know everything, how he/she's safe because of my best friend."

Xander tensed up, his soft glowing green eyes met Stiles' before they faded to his normal chocolate brown.

Amara grinned down at him gently from over Stiles' shoulder.

_Sleep young one, the clock has stopped._

"I love you." he whispered with a smile.

His eyes fluttered closed.

Four howls echoed through the night.


End file.
